DeWine extends rock salt claim deadline

Ohio Attorney General’s information

COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that Ohio public entities have two additional weeks to submit claims for funding available through the Attorney General’s $11.5 million settlement with Cargill and Morton Salt over past rock salt prices.

The deadline to submit a claim was Friday and now will be extended to Friday, August 21.

“We’ve had a great response from public purchasers throughout Ohio and we’re continuing to receive claims,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Because this funding is money that otherwise would not have been returned to Ohio communities, we want to make sure that every community has the opportunity to receive its fair share.”

Approximately $6.8 million of the settlement is available for local governments that bought rock salt from Cargill or Morton Salt between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2011. Entities must submit a claim in order to receive funds, and claims can be submitted on the Ohio Attorney General’s website (entities that already submitted a claim do not need to resubmit their claims).

To date, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office has received more than 770 claims from cities, county engineers and other public entities throughout Ohio. A list of those entities is available here.

Attorney General DeWine’s settlement with Cargill and Morton Salt resolved a 2012 lawsuit alleging that the companies divided up the Ohio rock salt market and agreed not to compete with each other for public bids during a period ending in 2010.

Although Morton and Cargill admitted no wrongdoing, the companies agreed to pay $11.5 million to resolve the state’s case. While most of the settlement funds will be distributed among local public purchasers, additional payments will go to the Ohio Department of Transportation (the state’s largest single rock salt purchaser), the Ohio Turnpike Commission and, as required by law, the state’s antitrust fund.

Ohio public entities that want to submit a claim or learn more about the claims process should visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/RockSalt or contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Antitrust Section.