Vermont PFAS Legislation and Litigation Updates

April 26, 2022

Read the full article by John Gardella (The National Law Review)

"Two significant events have occurred out of Vermont in April 2022 involving PFAS issues – one on the litigation front and one on the legislative front. Both are of considerable note to anyone actively following PFAS issues, with the pending legislation poised to have considerable impacts on PFAS litigation in Vermont for years to come. Companies with legacy or current PFAS use issues must pay close attention to these developments and understand how they will impact business interests.

Vermont PFAS Litigation Settlement

On April 18, 2022, a federal judge approved a proposed $34 million settlement in a class action lawsuit involving manufacturer Saint-Gobain. A lawsuit was filed in 2016 against Saint-Gobain, in which it was alleged that the company produced fabrics coated with PFAS (specifically, PFOA) from 1969 – 2002. The discharge and effluent from the manufacturing process allegedly contaminated local drinking water sources, including drinking wells in the Bennington, Vermont region. $26.2 million of the settlement amount would be placed into a fund intended to compensate plaintiffs for property damage and devaluation. $6 million would be placed into a fund for a 15 year PFOA medical monitoring program for the plaintiffs. Several years ago, Saint-Gobain paid $40 million o comply with state consent orders to extend municipal water lines and provide clean drinking water to homes with contaminated wells."