Item 3. Legal Proceedings
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
On July 17, 2019, we initiated patent litigation against certain defendants in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware for infringement of United States Patent Nos. 10,343,114 (the “‘114 Patent”) and 8,168,147 (the “‘147 Patent”) owned by the Company. These patents relate to our two-part Sorbent Enhancement Additive (SEA ® ) process for mercury removal from coal-fired power plants. Named as defendants in the lawsuit are (i) Vistra Energy Corp., AEP Generation Resources Inc., NRG Energy, Inc., Talen Energy Corporation, and certain of their respective affiliated entities, all of which are owners and/or operators of coal-fired power plants in the United States, and (ii) Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., DTE REF Holdings, LLC, CERT Coal Holdings LLC, Chem-Mod LLC, and certain of their respective affiliated entities, and additional named and unnamed defendants, all of which operate or are involved in operations of coal facilities in the United States. In the lawsuit, the Company alleges that each of the defendants has willfully infringed the Company’s ‘114 Patent and ‘147 Patent and seeks a permanent injunction from further acts of infringement and monetary damages.
During 2020, each of the four major utility defendants in the above action filed petitions for Inter Partes Review (IPR) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), seeking to invalidate certain claims to the patents which are subject to the litigation.
Between July 2020 and January 2021, we entered into agreements with each of the four major utility defendants in such action which included certain monetary arrangements and pursuant to which we have dismissed all claims brought against each of them and their affiliates, and such parties have withdrawn from petitions for IPR with the USPTO. Such agreements entered into with such parties provide each of them and their affiliates with a non-exclusive license to certain Company patents (related to the Company’s two-part Sorbent Enhancement Additive (SEA ® ) process) for use in connection with such parties’ coal-fired power plants. One of the agreements has facilitated an ongoing business relationship with that party.
The above described proceedings will continue with respect to the other defendants still involved.
Other than the foregoing, there are no material pending legal proceedings to which we are a party or to which any of our property is subject, nor are there any such proceedings known to be contemplated by governmental authorities. None of our directors, officers or affiliates is involved in a proceeding adverse to our business or has a material interest adverse to our business.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
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Table of Contents
PART II
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