TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Twenty-two attorneys general, including Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, want a federal court to reject a proposed $10.3 billion settlement over contamination of U.S. public drinking water systems with PFAS chemicals.
The deal was reached in June between manufacturer 3M and attorneys representing hundreds of communities that have sued the company.
PFAS compounds are used in many water- and grease-resistant consumer products. They don't degrade in the environment and have been linked to a variety of health problems.
A deal reached last month would compensate many communities across the nation. But the attorneys general said Wednesday it lets 3M off too easily before communities know what their cleanup costs will be.
”Coloradans now suffer degraded water quality and public health injuries on account of the actions of 3M and other companies who manufactured and marketed PFAS,” said Weiser in a statement. “By taking action today, we are standing up for our citizens and fighting for an adequate and appropriate resolution of the ongoing litigation.”
Weiser is joined by attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, as well as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
