[Public Comment] Proposed Solvay West Deptford Plant PFAS Settlement

October 6, 2023

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On June 28, 2023, the DEP reached a proposed settlement with Solvay that would ensure the timely cleanup of PFAS and hazardous substances in the vicinity of the West Deptford site and compensate the public for injuries to their natural resources.

DEP will publish a formal notice of the proposed settlement, together with the proposed settlement agreement in the New Jersey Register on August 7, 2023.
Public comments on the proposed settlement will be accepted through October 6, 2023.

“Our Department of Environmental Protection is determined to hold PFAS manufacturers responsible for the havoc wrought by their forever chemicals,” DEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said. “This proposed settlement marks a significant milestone in New Jersey’s nation-leading efforts to better protect public health and our environment from the dangers of PFAS. It requires Solvay to fund critical environmental investigations, remediation activities, and natural resource restoration projects that will improve drinking water and environmental quality in the Gloucester and Camden County communities that have borne the brunt of PFAS impacts that DEP associates with Solvay. As DEP oversees the implementation of this settlement in South Jersey, we will continue to pursue other PFAS manufacturers for the widespread harm their chemicals have caused across our state.”

The Proposed Settlement  

The settlement proposed by DEP is the first of its kind to address PFAS contamination in New Jersey. It would include environmental cleanup actions plus financial commitments of $392.7 million, including commitments by Solvay to: 

  • Pay for and implement comprehensive remedial activities at and in the vicinity of its West Deptford manufacturing site 
  • Provide financial support for certain public water system upgrades necessary to remove PFAS from drinking water, which will be administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) 
  • Further investigate and address certain PFAS impacts to public water systems and private potable drinking water wells in the vicinity 
  • Compensate the public for natural resources injured by the discharge of hazardous substances 

Further details can be found in the Notice of Proposed Settlement, which will appear in the August 7, 2023 edition of the New Jersey Register. DEP has also offered these responses to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the proposed settlement. 

 

DEP Invites Feedback on the Proposed Settlement  

Members of the public are invited to provide feedback on the proposed settlement by submitting an official comment for the record. 

The agreement will be formally published in the New Jersey Register on August 7, 2023 and links will be available on this website to access that publication and provide public comment. The public comment period will be open until October 6, 2023, during which time anyone can submit comments for the Department’s review.

Once the public comment period has closed, the Department will review comments and respond as necessary. If, after public comment, the proposed settlement is finalized and approved by the court, it will be entered as a binding Judicial Consent Order.  At that time, Solvay will be required to fulfill its obligations under the agreement.