# Working Group *A body established by ¶ 17 of the Settlement Agreement and Order in State of Minnesota v. 3M Company.* The Working Group is a body created by paragraph 17 of the Settlement Agreement and Order in *State of Minnesota v. 3M Company*, the settlement between the State of [[Minnesota]] and 3M.[^1] Under that paragraph, the Working Group is made up of "representatives of the MPCA, the DNR, East Metropolitan Area municipalities, and 3M."[^1] The same agreement provides, at paragraph 13, for an $850 million grant into the "3M Grant for Water Quality and Sustainability Fund," payable within fifteen days of the Effective Date.[^1] The settling defendant is seated on the body that advises how the settlement money is spent. Paragraph 14 of the agreement designates the MPCA and/or the DNR to use the funds, and paragraph 17 places 3M on the Working Group with those two agencies.[^1] The at-issue record, pair AI-Washington-007, describes the arrangement this way: "the polluter is a standing participant in the remediation governance."[^2] Meeting notes published under the name of the MPCA / 3M Settlement Working Group for Fall 2025 report $515 million in cumulative capital commitments against an estimated need of $575 million by the end of FY2026.[^3] The same notes place the transition back to the [[2007 Consent Order]] in the second half of calendar year 2027.[^3] ## Who Paragraph 17 names four categories of members: representatives of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), East Metropolitan Area municipalities, and 3M.[^1] 3M, the defendant named in the case caption, is one of the four.[^1] ## What The at-issue record describes the Working Group as the body "that advises how 3M's own settlement money is spent."[^2] The agreement does not place the designation to use the funds with the Working Group; paragraph 14 places it with the MPCA and/or the DNR.[^1] ## When The Fall 2025 meeting notes give the transition back to the 2007 Consent Order as "estimated to be in the second half of calendar year 2027."[^3] Until that transition, the notes report the program's capital position as of Fall 2025.[^3] ## Where The Fall 2025 notes report that [[Cottage Grove]] and [[Oakdale]] are on temporary systems.[^3] They report that [[Woodbury]] and [[Hastings]] have projects under construction and over budget.[^3] ## How The agreement sets out a sequence of provisions governing the money. Paragraph 13 establishes the $850 million grant into the fund.[^1] Paragraph 14 designates the MPCA and/or the DNR to use the funds, with spending priorities set out at paragraph 14.A–C.[^1] Paragraph 17 establishes the Working Group, which includes 3M.[^1] Paragraph 25 designates Judge Burke as "Consensual Special Magistrate" upon retirement.[^1] ## How much The settlement grant is $850 million under paragraph 13.[^1] As of the Fall 2025 meeting notes, cumulative capital commitments stood at $515 million.[^3] The notes estimate the need at $575 million by the end of FY2026 and record a capital shortfall of approximately $26 million.[^3] They also project approximately $137 million to remain unobligated at the end of FY2026.[^3] An MPCA document listed in the project's dossier as the FY2025 accounting is published separately.[^4] ## How many Paragraph 17 names four categories of members: the MPCA, the DNR, East Metropolitan Area municipalities, and 3M.[^1] Of those four, two are state agencies, one is a group of municipalities, and one is the settling company.[^1] ## In the at-issue record - **Working Group composition (AI-Washington-007, APEX §VI).** The at-issue row states that "3M sits on the working group that advises how 3M's own settlement money is spent," anchoring the point to paragraphs 14 and 17 of the agreement.[^2] Paragraph 14 designates the MPCA and/or the DNR to use the funds; paragraph 17 lists 3M among the Working Group's members.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota Attorney General, *State of Minnesota v. 3M Company, Settlement Agreement and Order* (undated in the pack) — establishes the $850 million grant and fifteen-day payment term (¶ 13), the MPCA/DNR designation and spending priorities (¶ 14, ¶ 14.A–C), the Working Group's composition (¶ 17), and the Consensual Special Magistrate designation (¶ 25). https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/Agreement.pdf [^2]: At-issue record, *pair AI-Washington-007* (APEX §VI), anchored to the Settlement Agreement and Order — states 3M's seat on the Working Group and the at-issue characterization of the arrangement. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/Agreement.pdf [^3]: MPCA / 3M Settlement Working Group, *Fall 2025 – Notes* (posted December 2025) — reports cumulative capital commitments of $515 million, estimated need of $575 million by end of FY2026, a ~$26 million capital shortfall, ~$137 million projected unobligated at end of FY2026, the transition estimate to the 2007 Consent Order, and the status of Cottage Grove, Oakdale, Woodbury and Hastings. https://3msettlement.state.mn.us/sites/3msettlement/files/2025-12/Fall%202025%20-%20Notes.pdf [^4]: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, *lrc-pfc-2sy25* (undated in the pack) — listed in the project's dossier as the FY2025 accounting for the settlement program; its contents are not reproduced in the pack. https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/lrc-pfc-2sy25.pdf