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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCES

NOTE 9 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCES

 

From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings, which arise in the ordinary course of business. Litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm our business. Except as set forth below, we are currently not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims that will have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.

 

Sheppard Mullin’s Demand for Arbitration

 

On December 1, 2020, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP (“Sheppard Mullin”), the Company’s former securities counsel, filed a demand for arbitration at JAMS in New York, New York against the Company, alleging the Company’s breach of an engagement agreement dated January 4, 2018, and a failure of the Company to pay $487,390.73 of outstanding legal fees to Sheppard Mullin. Sheppard Mullin was awarded $459,251 in unpaid legal fees, disbursements and interest on June 25, 2021. A judgement confirming the arbitration award was entered on September 8, 2021 in the Federal District Court located in Denver, Colorado.

 

On September 23, 2021, the Company entered into a Resolution Agreement with Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton concerning the $459,250.88 judgement entered against the Company. Under the terms of the Resolution Agreement, the Company was required to make a $25,000 initial payment by September 30, 2021 and is required to make $15,000 monthly payments from October 2021 to January 2023 with a final $10,000 payment due in February 2023. The Company has made the October 2021 through October 2022 monthly payments.

 

Virginia DEQ Consent Order

 

On June 30, 2021, the Company entered into a Consent Order with the Virginia State Water Control Board. Under the Consent Order, the Company is required to pay a civil penalty of $90,000, improve its internal control plans regarding recycled and waste materials and remediate certain environmental concerns on the properties it leases, among other requirements. The Company believes it is appropriate to recognize an environmental remediation liability as a regulatory claim that was asserted in the Notices of Violations issued to the Company in November 2019, for which the June 2021 Consent Order rectifies.

 

Upon effectiveness of the Company’s acquisition of Empire on October 1, 2021, the Company incurred $71,017 in environmental remediation liabilities, of which $15,017 was a fair estimate of the cost to remediate the properties it leases and a balance of $56,000 for the civil penalty as of the acquisition date. The Company paid $34,983 towards the remediation of the properties and $42,000 towards the civil penalty from October 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. The Company paid $22,207 towards the remediation of the properties and $14,000 towards the civil penalty during the nine months ended September 30, 2022. As of September 30, 2022, the Company had $0 in civil penalties and $0 in costs remaining to remediate the properties in accordance with the Consent Order. The Company is committed to improving its processes and controls to ensure its operations have minimal environmental impact with the goal of minimizing the number of comments and citations received by the Department of Environmental Quality going forward.