Exhibit 10.2
Execution Version
Environmental Remediation and
Assumption of Liability Agreement
THIS Contract
(“Contract”) is made this 31 st day of October, 2006, (the
“Effective Date”) by and between the parties identified
in Exhibit “A” (hereinafter collectively referred to as
“AZZ”) and Marcy R. Wydman, an individual (hereinafter
“Wydman”). The foregoing parties to this Contract are
sometimes collectively referred to herein as the Parties or
singularly as a Party.
WHEREAS, AZZ is interested in having
Wydman assume certain potential environmental liabilities with
respect to the property purchased by Arbor-Crowley, Inc. from Witt
Industries, Inc. located in Muncie, Indiana as more particularly
described on Exhibit “B”, attached hereto and made a
part hereof (hereinafter referred to as the “Site”);
and
WHEREAS, the Site has Pre-existing
Pollution Conditions that AZZ requires to be addressed as a
condition to purchasing the Site; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of
this Contract, Wydman wishes to assume, and AZZ wishes to transfer
and assign to Wydman, Environmental Clean-up Liability (as herein
defined) for Pre-existing Pollution Conditions at the Site (as
herein defined);
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties, in
consideration of the mutual covenants set forth below, agree as
follows:
1. Definitions .
(a) “Change” means a
change to the Remedial Plan as provided for under Paragraph 6
hereof.
(b) “Clean-up” means the
investigation, study, remediation, removal, transportation,
disposal, treatment (including in-situ treatment), management,
stabilization, containment or neutralization of Pollutants
necessary to achieve Project Completion, including, but not limited
to, any monitoring activities that may be required after the
completion of such investigation, study, remediation, removal,
disposal, treatment, management, stabilization, containment or
neutralization.
(c) “Clean-up Costs”
means all actual and necessary costs incurred for Clean-up of
Pre-Existing Pollution Conditions at, under or migrating from the
Site. Clean-up Costs shall include, without limitation, study and
investigation costs, planning costs, consultant costs,
transportation costs, legal fees, permit fees and costs, filing
fees, monitoring costs, Governmental Authority oversight costs and
costs to retain any licensed professionals for review and oversight
in lieu of or on behalf of the Governmental Authority pursuant to
Environmental Law.
(d) “Contemplated Use”
means any future use of the Site that is consistent with its prior
commercial/industrial use as more particularly described in Exhibit
“C”.
(e) “Environmental Laws”
means any federal, state, or local laws (including, but not limited
to, statutes, rules, regulations, ordinances, guidance documents,
and governmental, judicial or administrative orders and directives)
that are applicable to Pollution Conditions.
(f) “Environmental Land Use
Restriction” means an engineering or institutional control
acceptable to applicable Governmental Authorities pursuant to
Environmental Laws which, when imposed upon the Site, will allow a
level of environmental clean-up consistent with the Contemplated
Use of the Site. Environmental Land Use Restrictions may include,
but are not limited to, restricting use of the Site to
commercial/industrial uses, restricting the use of ground water
beneath the Site, and conditionally restricting construction
activities at the Site in areas of prior fill placement.
(g) “Environmental Clean-up
Liability” means the obligation to perform Clean-up of
Pre-existing Pollution Conditions at, under or migrating from the
Site as determined by any Governmental Authority under
Environmental Laws, including the liability for off-site disposal
of Pollutants which are removed and disposed off-Site as part of
the Clean-up of Pre-existing Pollution Conditions pursuant to this
Contract.
(h) “Excluded Matters”
means those items for which Wydman has no responsibility under this
Contract as set forth under Paragraph 2(b) hereof.
(i) “Firm” means a
qualified environmental firm hired by Wydman and pre-approved by
AZZ that has sufficient expertise and experience to accomplish the
Clean-up consistent with this Contract and in compliance with
Environmental Laws, with the standards of care and diligence
normally practiced by nationally recognized firms performing
services of a similar nature.
(j) “Governmental
Authority” means any federal, state, provincial, or local
governmental regulatory or administrative agency, including, but
not limited to, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management
(“IDEM”), commission, department, board, or other
governmental subdivision, court, tribunal, arbitral body or other
governmental authority or other subdivision, department or branch
of any of the foregoing.
(k) “New Pollution
Conditions” means Pollution Conditions on, under or migrating
from the Site which commence on or after the Effective Date hereof,
unless arising out of a Pre-existing Pollution
Condition.
(l) “Off-site Locations”
means the real property which is not a part of the Site that Wydman
or the Firm requires access to in order to complete its obligations
hereunder.
(m) “Pollutants” means
any solid, liquid, or gaseous contaminant or waste, including soot,
acids, alkalis, or toxic chemicals, medical waste and waste
material, and/or by-products or progeny thereof. Pollutants
include, but are not limited to, all of the following: hazardous
wastes or constituents (as defined in Section 1004 of RCRA);
hazardous substances (as defined in CERCLA); oil or petroleum
products; and polychlorinated biphenyls
(“PCBs”).
(n) “Pollution
Conditions” means the actual or threatened discharge,
dispersal, release, migration or escape of any Pollutants into,
under or upon land, the atmosphere, or any watercourse or body of
water, including groundwater, provided such conditions are not
naturally present in the environment in the amounts or
concentrations discovered. Pollution Conditions shall not include
any release that results solely in the exposure of individuals to
Pollutants in the workplace with respect to which those individuals
may assert a claim under the “Occupational Safety and Health
Act of 1970.”
(o) “Pre-existing Pollution
Condition” means Pollution Conditions at the Site caused by
operations or conditions existing prior to the Effective Date
hereof, including without limitation, the effects of continuing
Pollution Conditions that exist as of the Effective Date
hereof.
(p) “Project Completion”
means completing the work necessary to obtain a determination from
any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction that no further action
is required regarding the Pre-Existing Pollution Conditions at the
Site and securing a Certificate of Completion, or its equivalent
from IDEM and a Covenant Not to Sue from the State of Indiana
regarding the Site. Wydman shall use “best efforts” to
achieve Project Completion within three years from the Effective
Date hereof, and will achieve Project Completion by the fifth
anniversary of the Effective Date hereof..
(q) “Remedial Plan”
means the remedial action plan identified in Exhibit
“D” which describes the Clean-up to be undertaken at
the Site.
(r) “Site” refers to the
property specifically defined in Exhibit “B”, attached
hereto and made a part hereof.
2. Transfer and Assignment of
Liability .
(a) AZZ hereby transfers and assigns
to Wydman, which transfer and assignment Wydman hereby accepts
subject to the terms and conditions of this Contract, any and all
Environmental Clean-up Liability with respect to Pre-existing
Pollution Conditions. The foregoing transfer, assignment and
obligation to hold harmless shall not apply to Excluded Matters as
set forth below.
(b) The following matters are
Excluded Matters hereunder, liability for which is not assumed by
Wydman and which is retained by AZZ:
(i) any past costs incurred by AZZ
or its agents prior to the Effective Date hereof;
(ii) Pollution Conditions determined
not to be Wydman’s obligation pursuant to Paragraphs 7 or 8
hereof; and
(iii) liability to the extent
arising from intentional, willful or deliberate noncompliance by
AZZ or any operator at the Site (other than Wydman) with any
statute, regulation, ordinance, administrative complaint, notice of
violation, notice letter, executive order or instruction of any
Governmental Authority after the Effective Date hereof.
(c) To the extent a Governmental
Authority determines that Wydman has responsibility for an Excluded
Matter, this shall be treated as a Change and resolved pursuant to
the requirements of Paragraph 6 hereof.
3. Contract Consideration
.
Wydman is entering into this
Contract in connection with the sale by Witt Industries, Inc. (a
corporation wholly-owned by Wydman) of certain assets to Arbor
Crowley, Inc. (one of the entities identified in Exhibit
“A” and comprising AZZ). Wydman’s entry into this
Contract is a condition precedent to the purchase of such assets by
Arbor Crowley, Inc., forms part of the consideration to Arbor
Crowley, Inc. for such purchase and serves as a material inducement
to Arbor Crowley, Inc. to purchase such assets. In the absence of
Wydman’s entering into and performing this Contract, Arbor
Crowley, Inc. would not purchase such assets.
4. Wydman’s Obligations
.
Wydman agrees:
(a) To assume the sole
responsibility for, and cause the Firm to complete performance of,
the Clean-up, including, but not limited to: investigation and
studies; regulatory agency negotiations, notifications, filings,
reports and interactions; engineering design and permitting;
remedial actions and remedial operations, operations and
maintenance (“O&M”); monitoring activities
necessary to achieve Project Completion; and to secure a
Certificate of Completion, or its equivalent from IDEM and a
Covenant Not to Sue from the State of Indiana regarding the
Site;
(b) To warrant and agree that the
Clean-up shall satisfy all the requirements of Governmental
Authorities and shall: (a) be free from fault and defects,
latent or otherwise; (b) be free of liens, security interests
and encumbrances caused or created by Wydman or any agents or
subcontractors (including the Firm) working for or on behalf of
Wydman; and (c) comply with, and be completed by means and
methods complying with, Environmental Laws;
(c) To coordinate and cooperate
fully with AZZ in the planning and execution of the Clean-up to
avoid and minimize interference with operations, (AZZ understands
that a reasonable level of interference may be inherent in the
Clean-up);
(d) To provide AZZ with copies of
reports submitted to and received from Governmental Authorities
with respect to the work at the Site;
(e) To ensure the reporting, or
proper notification, to Governmental Authorities upon the discovery
of Pollution Conditions requiring such report/notification under
Environmental Law, in accordance with the terms set forth in this
Contract;
(f) To identify, obtain and execute
all necessary authorizations, approvals, permits, permit
modifications or amendments, and manifests necessary for the
Clean-up; and
(g) To cooperate with AZZ in
assessing the terms of this Contract so as to maximize potential
benefits that AZZ could realize pursuant to the applicable
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. §§ 1
et seq .). To the extent that an alteration to the terms or
provisions of the Contract could maximize any tax benefit to AZZ,
Wydman will agree to make such alterations so long as such
alterations do not increase her obligations under this
Contract.
5. AZZ’s Obligations
.
AZZ agrees:
(a) To cooperate with Wydman in the
planning and execution of the Clean-up, so that Wydman may comply
with her obligations hereunder;
(b) To provide Wydman and the Firm
with reasonable access to the Site to the extent required by Wydman
and the Firm to conduct the Clean-up;
(c) To allow Wydman and the Firm to
utilize the existing utilities at the Site at Wydman’s
expense; Wydman shall be solely responsible for the cost of any
extensions of the utilities, additional or modified permits, and
other utility related capital improvements needed by Wydman and the
Firm to conduct the Clean-up;
(d) To allow Wydman and the Firm to
obtain permits (or to amend AZZ’s existing permits) as
necessary to implement the Clean-up;
(e) To ensure that AZZ and all
holders or users of easements, licenses, leaseholds or other rights
or interests in the Site (“Interest Holders”) consent
and subordinate to appropriate Environmental Land Use Restrictions
or other reasonable restrictions or controls consistent with the
Contemplated Use; and
(f) To provide Wydman all
information in their possession concerning Pollution Conditions and
other conditions at the Site including the identity and location of
utilities.
6. Remedial Action Plan;
Changes .
(a) The Clean-up of the Pre-existing
Pollution Conditions is based upon the Contemplated Use as of the
Effective Date hereof. To the extent that AZZ changes the
Contemplated Use or the physical configuration of the Site and such
change has a direct impact on the cost of, or the need for,
Clean-up of the Pre-existing Pollution Conditions or on
Wydman’s legal obligations, this shall constitute a Change
subject to Paragraph 6(b) below;
(b) In the event of a Change, the
following procedures of this Section 6(b) shall apply. Wydman
and AZZ will discuss the Change and agree on the scope of,
schedule, and
cost for the implementation of the Change. To
the extent that Wydman and AZZ agree on the scope of,
implementation schedule and cost for the Change, Wydman shall
continue to be fully responsible for the Clean-up of the
Pre-existing Pollution Conditions. In the event that Wydman and AZZ
cannot agree, Wydman shall prepare a detailed report documenting
the effect the Change has on the Clean-up of the Pre-existing
Pollution Conditions, including a cost estimate of the direct
impact the Change has on the cost of the Clean-up. AZZ may accept
Wydman’s report, in which event AZZ shall pay to Wydman the
estimated increase in cost the Change has on the cost of the
Clean-up of Pre-existing Pollution Conditions. In the event AZZ
does not accept Wydman’s report, AZZ may (i) propose and
negotiate an alternate cost with Wydman, or (ii) submit the
issue to technical arbitration as provided under Paragraph 8
hereof.
(c) If the performance of all or any
part of the Clean-up is suspended or delayed by an act of AZZ or
its agents or by its failure to act, any increase or decrease in
cost of performance of this Contract necessarily directly caused by
such suspension or delay shall be treated as a Change pursuant to
Paragraph 6(b) above.
7. Determination of New Pollution
Conditions .
(a) In the event a Pollution
Condition is discovered at the Site which was not previously
identified as a Pre-existing Pollution Condition, the Party
discovering such Pollution Condition shall notify the other Party,
and the Parties shall determine (i) the nature and extent of
the Pollution Condition, (ii) the need for Clean-up, if any,
and (iii) if Clean-up is needed, the source or likely source
of the Pollution Condition. Wydman or the Firm shall also document
its determination of whether the Pollution Condition existed prior
to the Effective Date hereof and furnish such documentation to
AZZ.
(b) If Wydman and AZZ determine that
the Pollution Condition represents a Pre-existing Pollution
Condition, Wydman shall be fully responsible for the Clean-up of
such Pollution Condition.
(c) If Wydman and AZZ determine that
the Pollution Condition occurred after the Effective Date hereof,
Wydman or the Firm shall document its findings and provide
supporting data in a report that it will submit to AZZ.
(d) If AZZ agrees with
Wydman’s or