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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WHEREAS, plaintiff, the United States of America, having filed its Complaint in this action on September 27, 2000, and plaintiff and defendants, Republic Services, Inc. ("Republic") and Allied Waste Services, Inc. ("Allied"), by their respective attorneys, having consented to the entry of this Final Judgment without trial or adjudication of any issue of fact or law herein, and without this Final Judgment constituting any evidence against or an admission by any party with respect to any issue of law or fact herein; AND WHEREAS, defendants have agreed to be bound by the provisions of this Final Judgment pending its approval by the Court; AND WHEREAS, the essence of this Final Judgment is the prompt and certain divestiture of the Relevant Republic Assets by Republic to assure that competition is not substantially lessened; AND WHEREAS, the United States requires Republic to make certain divestitures for the purpose of remedying the loss of competition alleged in the Complaint; AND WHEREAS, defendants have represented to the United States that the divestitures required below, can and will be made and that defendants will later raise no claims of hardship or difficulty as grounds for asking the Court to modify any of the divestiture or other injunctive provisions contained below; NOW, THEREFORE, before the taking of any testimony, and without trial or adjudication of any issue of fact or law herein, and upon consent of the parties hereto, it is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED: I. Jurisdiction This Court has jurisdiction over each of the parties hereto and over the subject matter of this action. The Complaint states a claim upon which relief may be granted against defendants under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18. II. Definitions As used in this Final Judgment: A. "Acquirer" or "Acquirers" means the entity or entities to whom Republic divests the Relevant Republic Assets. B. "Allied" means defendant Allied Waste Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, and includes its successors and assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates, partnerships and joint ventures, and their directors, officers, managers, agents, and employees. C. "Hauling" means the collection of waste from customers and the shipment of the collected waste to disposal sites. Hauling, as used herein, does not include collection of roll-off containers. D. "MSW" means municipal solid waste, a term of art used to describe solid putrescible waste generated by households and commercial establishments such as retail stores, offices, restaurants, warehouses, and non-manufacturing activities in industrial facilities. MSW does not include special handling waste (e.g., waste from manufacturing processes, regulated medical waste, sewage, and sludge), hazardous waste, or waste generated by construction or demolition sites. E. "Relevant Republic Assets" means with respect to each commercial waste collection route or other hauling asset described herein, all tangible assets, including capital equipment, trucks and other vehicles, containers, interests, permits, supplies; and if requested by the purchaser, real property and improvements to real property (i.e., buildings and garages). It also includes all intangible assets, including hauling-related customer lists, contracts, leasehold interests, and accounts related to each such route or asset. Relevant Republic Assets includes the following:
F. "Republic" means defendant Republic Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and includes its successors and assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates, partnerships and joint ventures, and their directors, officers, managers, agents, and employees. G. "Small container commercial waste collection service" means the business of collecting MSW from commercial and industrial accounts, usually in "dumpsters" (i.e., a small container with one to ten cubic yards of storage capacity), and transporting or "hauling" such waste to a disposal site by use of a front- or rear-end loader truck. Typical commercial waste collection customers include office and apartment buildings and retail establishments (e.g., stores and restaurants). III. Applicability A This Final Judgment applies to Republic and Allied, as defined above, and all other persons in active concert or participation with any of them who receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or otherwise. B. Republic shall require, as a condition of the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets, or of lesser business units that include defendant's Relevant Republic Assets, that the Acquirer or Acquirers agree to be bound by the provisions of this Final Judgment. IV. Divestitures A. Republic is hereby ordered and directed, within one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days after the filing of the Complaint in this matter, or five (5) days after notice of the entry of this Final Judgment by the Court, whichever is later, to divest the Relevant Republic Assets in a manner consistent with this Final Judgment to an Acquirer(s) acceptable to the United States in its sole discretion. Republic agrees to use its best efforts to accomplish the divestitures ordered by this Final Judgment as expeditiously and timely as possible. The United States, in its sole discretion, may agree to an extension of this time period of up to sixty (60) calendar days, and shall notify the Court in such circumstances. B. In accomplishing the divestitures ordered by this Final Judgment, Republic promptly shall make known, by usual and customary means, the availability of the Relevant Republic Assets. Republic shall inform any person making an inquiry regarding a possible purchase of the Relevant Republic Assets that they are being divested pursuant to this Final Judgment and provide that person with a copy of this Final Judgment. Republic shall also offer to furnish to all prospective Acquirers, subject to customary confidentiality assurances, all information and documents relating to the Relevant Republic Assets customarily provided in a due diligence process except such information or documents subject to the attorney-client or work-product privileges. Republic shall make available such information to the United States at the same time that such information is made available to any other person. C. Republic shall provide the Acquirer(s) and the United States information relating to the personnel involved in the operation and management of the Relevant Republic Assets to enable the Acquirer to make offers of employment. Republic and Allied will not interfere with any negotiations by the Acquirer(s) to employ any Republic employee whose primary responsibility is the operation or management of the Relevant Republic Assets. D. Republic shall permit prospective Acquirer(s) of the Relevant Republic Assets to have reasonable access to personnel and to make inspections of the physical facilities; access to any and all environmental, zoning, and other permit documents and information; and access to any and all financial, operational, or other documents and information customarily provided as part of a due diligence process. E. Republic shall warrant to all Acquirers of the Relevant Republic Assets that each asset will be operational on the date of sale. F. Republic and Allied shall not take any action that will impede in any way the permitting, operation, or divestiture of the Relevant Republic Assets. G. Republic shall warrant to the Acquirer(s) of the Relevant Republic Assets that there are no material defects in the environmental, zoning, or other permits pertaining to the operation of each asset, and that following the divestiture of the Relevant Republic Assets, Republic and Allied will not undertake, directly or indirectly, any challenges to the environmental, zoning, or other permits or applications for permits or licenses relating to the operation of the Relevant Republic Assets. H. Unless the United States otherwise consents in writing, the divestiture pursuant to Section IV, or by trustee appointed pursuant to Section V of this Final Judgment, shall include the entire Relevant Republic Assets, and shall be accomplished in such a way as to satisfy the United States, in its sole discretion, that the Relevant Republic Assets can and will be used by the Acquirer(s) as part of a viable, ongoing waste hauling business. Divestiture of the Relevant Republic Assets may be made to one or more Acquirers, provided that in each instance it is demonstrated to the sole satisfaction of the United States that the Relevant Republic Assets will remain viable and the divestiture of such assets will remedy the competitive harm alleged in the Complaint. The divestitures, whether pursuant to Section IV or Section V of this Final Judgment,
A. If Republic has not divested the Relevant Republic Assets within the time period specified in Section IV(A), Republic shall notify the United States of that fact in writing. Upon application of the United States, the Court shall appoint a trustee selected by the United States and approved by the Court to effect the divestiture of the Relevant Republic Assets. B. After the appointment of a trustee becomes effective, only the trustee shall have the right to sell the Relevant Republic Assets. The trustee shall have the power and authority to accomplish the divestiture to an Acquirer or Acquirers acceptable to the United States at such price and on such terms as are then obtainable upon reasonable effort by the trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections IV, V, and VI of this Final Judgment, and shall have such other powers as this Court deems appropriate. Subject to Section V(D) of this Final Judgment, the trustee may hire at the cost and expense of Republic any investment bankers, attorneys, or other agents, who shall be solely accountable to the trustee, reasonably necessary in the trustee's judgment to assist in the divestiture. C. Republic and Allied shall not object to a sale by the trustee on any ground other than the trustee's malfeasance. Any such objections by Republic or Allied must be conveyed in writing to the United States and the trustee within ten (10) calendar days after the trustee has provided the notice required under Section VI. D. The trustee shall serve at the cost and expense of Republic, on such terms and conditions as the plaintiff approves, and shall account for all monies derived from the sale of the assets sold by the trustee and all costs and expenses so incurred. After approval by the Court of the trustee's accounting, including fees for its services and those of any professionals and agents retained by the trustee, all remaining money shall be paid to Republic and the trust shall then be terminated. The compensation of the trustee and any professionals and agents retained by the trustee shall be reasonable in light of the value of the Relevant Republic Assets and based on a fee arrangement providing the trustee with an incentive based on the price and terms of the divestiture and the speed with which it is accomplished, but timeliness is paramount. E. Republic shall use its best efforts to assist the trustee in accomplishing the required divestiture. The trustee and any consultants, accountants, attorneys, and other persons retained by the trustee shall have full and complete access to the personnel, books, records, and facilities of the business to be divested, and Republic shall develop financial and other information relevant to such business as the trustee may reasonably request, subject to reasonable protection for trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information. Republic and Allied shall take no action to interfere with or to impede the trustee's accomplishment of the divestiture. F. After its appointment, the trustee shall file monthly reports with the United States and the Court setting forth the trustee's efforts to accomplish the divestiture ordered under this Final Judgment. To the extent that such reports contain information that the trustee deems confidential, such reports shall not be filed in the public docket of the Court. Such reports shall include the name, address, and telephone number of each person who, during the preceding month, made an offer to acquire, expressed an interest in acquiring, entered into negotiations to acquire, or was contacted or made an inquiry about acquiring, any interest in the Relevant Republic Assets, and shall describe in detail each contact with any such person. The trustee shall maintain full records of all efforts made to divest the Relevant Republic Assets. G. If the trustee has not accomplished such divestiture within six months after its appointment, the trustee shall promptly file with the Court a report setting forth (1) the trustee's efforts to accomplish the required divestiture, (2) the reasons, in the trustee's judgment, why the required divestiture has not been accomplished, and (3) the trustee's recommendations. To the extent that such reports contain information that the trustee deems confidential, such reports shall not be filed in the public docket of the Court. The trustee shall at the same time furnish such report to the plaintiff who shall have the right to make additional recommendations consistent with the purpose of the trust. The Court thereafter shall enter such orders as it shall deem appropriate to carry out the purpose of the Final Judgment, which may, if necessary, include extending the trust and the term of the trustee's appointment by a period requested by the United States. VI. Notice of Proposed Divestiture A. Within two (2) business days following execution of a definitive divestiture agreement, Republic or the trustee, whichever is then responsible for effecting the divestiture required herein, shall notify the United States of any proposed divestiture required by Section IV or V of this Final Judgment. If the trustee is responsible, it shall similarly notify Republic. The notice shall set forth the details of the proposed divestiture and list the name, address, and telephone number of each person not previously identified who offered or expressed an interest in or desire to acquire any ownership interest in the Relevant Republic Assets, together with full details of the same. B. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt by the United States of such notice, the United States may request from defendants, the proposed Acquirer or Acquirers, any other third party, or the trustee if applicable additional information concerning the proposed divestiture, the proposed Acquirer or Acquirers, and any other potential Acquirer. Defendants and the trustee shall furnish any additional information requested within fifteen (15) calendar days of the receipt of the request, unless the parties shall otherwise agree. C. Within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the notice or within twenty (20) calendar days after the United States has been provided the additional information requested from defendants, the proposed Acquirer or Acquirers, any third party, and the trustee, whichever is later, the United States shall provide written notice to Republic and the trustee, if there is one, stating whether or not it objects to the proposed divestiture. If the United States provides written notice that it does not object, the divestiture may be consummated, subject only to defendants' limited right to object to the sale under Section V(C) of this Final Judgment. Absent written notice that the United States does not object to the proposed Acquirer or upon objection by the United States, a divestiture proposed under Section IV or Section V shall not be consummated. Upon objection by defendants under Section V(C), a divestiture proposed under Section V shall not be consummated unless approved by the Court. Defendants shall not finance all or any part of any purchase made pursuant to Section IV or V of this Final Judgment. Until the divestitures required by this Final Judgment have been accomplished, Republic shall take all steps necessary to comply with the Hold Separate Stipulation and Order entered by this Court. Republic and Allied shall take no action that would jeopardize the divestitures ordered by this Court. A. Within twenty (20) calendar days of the filing of the Complaint in this matter, and every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter until the divestiture(s) has been completed under Section IV or V, Republic shall deliver to the United States an affidavit as to the fact and manner of its compliance with Section IV or V of this Final Judgment. Each such affidavit shall include the name, address, and telephone number of each person who, during the preceding thirty days, made an offer to acquire, expressed an interest in acquiring, entered into negotiations to acquire, or was contacted or made an inquiry about acquiring, any interest in the Relevant Republic Assets, and shall describe in detail each contact with any such person during that period. Each such affidavit shall also include a description of the efforts Republic has taken to solicit buyers for the Relevant Republic Assets, and to provide required information to prospective Acquirers, including the limitations, if any, on such information. Assuming the information set forth in the affidavit is true and complete, any objection by the United States to information provided by Republic, including limitation on information, shall be made within fourteen (14) days of receipt of such affidavit. B. Within twenty (20) calendar days of the filing of the Complaint in this matter, Republic shall deliver to the United States an affidavit that describes in reasonable detail all actions Republic has taken and all steps Republic has implemented on an ongoing basis to comply with Section VIII of this Final Judgment. Republic shall deliver to the United States an affidavit describing any changes to the efforts and actions outlined in Republic's earlier affidavits filed pursuant to this section within fifteen (15) calendar days after the change is implemented. C. Republic shall keep all records of all efforts made to preserve and divest the Relevant Republic Assets until one year after such divestiture(s) has been completed. A. For the purposes of determining or securing compliance with this Final Judgment, or of determining whether the Final Judgment should be modified or vacated, and subject to any legally recognized privilege, from time to time duly authorized representatives of the United States Department of Justice, including consultants and other persons retained by the United States, shall, upon written request of a duly authorized representative of the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, and on reasonable notice to defendants, be permitted:
B. Upon the written request of the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, defendants shall submit such written reports, under oath if requested, relating to any of the matters contained in this Final Judgment as may be requested. C. No information or documents obtained by the means provided in this section shall be divulged by the United States to any person other than an authorized representative of the executive branch of the United States, except in the course of legal proceedings to which the United States is a party (including grand jury proceedings), or for the purpose of securing compliance with this Final Judgment, or as otherwise required by law. D. If at the time information or documents are furnished by defendants to the United States, defendants represent and identify in writing the material in any such information or documents to which a claim of protection may be asserted under Rule 26(c)(7) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and defendants mark each pertinent page of such material, "Subject to claim of protection under Rule 26(c)(7) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," then the United States shall give defendants ten (10) calendar days notice prior to divulging such material in any legal proceeding (other than a grand jury proceeding). XI. No Reacquisition Republic may not reacquire any part of the Relevant Republic Assets during the term of this Final Judgment. XII. Retention of Jurisdiction This Court retains jurisdiction to enable any party to this Final Judgment to apply to this Court at any time for further orders and directions as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out or construe this Final Judgment, to modify any of its provisions, to enforce compliance, and to punish violations of its provisions. Unless this Court grants an extension, this Final Judgment shall expire ten years from the date of its entry. XIV. Public Interest Determination Entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest. Date: __________________
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