Mold To Gold: Distillery Lawsuit Settlement Money Up For Grabs

By Mike Perleberg (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - A payday is coming for people who own property near the Lawrenceburg Distillery. In 2005, a class action lawsuit was filed by William Klepper and other Lawrenceburg and Greendale property owners whose property was damaged by ethanol emissions from the distillery. The emissions can even come from ethanol that escapes as it evaporates through barrels used in the spirits aging process - also known as the "angels' share". According to class counsel F. Ronalds Walker of Indianapolis law firm Plews Shadley Racher & Braun, the fungus is known as baudoinia compniacensis. It's affects can be observed by anybody driving or walking by the distillery and surrounding homes as a blackish, dirt-like coating on the buildings. Walker said there have similar cases around the country, including in areas near distilleries in Kentucky. A Dearborn County judge ordered a $1.23 million judgement against former distillery owners Pernod Ricard in 2009. Just recently, claim notices and forms were mailed to about 7,000 property owners in Dearborn County. FIND THE CLAIM FORM AND MAP HERE. According to the claim form, owners of property in a designated "High Impact Zone" are entitled to $3,500 for each parcel of property they own. A lesser amount of approximately $300 can be awarded to property owners in a reduced impact zone covering much of Greendale and downtown Lawrenceburg. Only people who owned property in one of the two impact zones between December 21, 2001 and September 12, 2009 can make a claim. Properties that had more than one owner during that timeframe will have the award split based on the time owned.