District Court, S.D. New York October 16, 2001, MDL 1358, 00 CIV 1898(SAS) (In Re Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether ("MTBE") Products Liability Litigation)

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MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER

SCHEINDLIN, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

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The plaintiffs in this consolidated multi-district litigation,

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private well-owners, essentially allege that defendants, petroleum companies doing business throughout the United States,

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knowingly caused the widespread contamination of groundwater as a result of their use of a gasoline additive known as methyl