This week, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced a groundbreaking $2B settlement to remedy long-standing contamination from PFAS and other pollutants originating from four industrial sites. According to the agency, the agreement marks the largest environmental settlement ever achieved by a single state.
The proposed settlement will resolve the Chambers Works case, a 2019 lawsuit against EIDP, Inc. and other DuPont-related entities. The agreement also resolves three other lawsuits regarding specific sites in New Jersey, the statewide claims for aqueous film-forming foam, and other issues.
EIDP and other corporate defendants have agreed to fully clean up contamination at four New Jersey sites, to pay $875M in damages to the state for the harm caused to natural resources, and to fund abatement projects including drinking water treatment. The companies will also create a remediation funding source of up to $1.2B and establish an additional reserve fund of $475M.
New Jersey reports that the settlement is the third major success in PFAS-related litigation in just over two years, bringing the state approximately $3B from PFAS and other pollutant lawsuits since 2019. If approved, the settlement will provide significant assistance to New Jersey public and private well owners, local governments, and public entities to address PFAS in their drinking water.
