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Advisen Front Page News - Friday, February 21, 2020

   
Judge OKs PFAS contamination settlement with Wolverine shoemaker
Judge OKs PFAS contamination settlement with Wolverine shoemaker
Publication Date 02/20/2020
Source: Detroit Free Press (MI)

Feb. 20--A federal judge on Wednesday approved a settlement in the spread of potentially health-harming PFAS compounds surrounding a former Rockford, Michigan, shoe factory.

Shoemaker Wolverine Worldwide didn't admit liability, but agreed to pay $69.5 million in a consent decree with the state of Michigan and Plainfield and Algoma townships. The proposed settlement, reported as under discussion in December, was approved by U.S. District Court Judge Janet Neff in the Western District of Michigan.

The money will be used to extend municipal water to about 1,000 homes which had wells tainted with so-called "forever chemicals" connected to cancer and other serious health concerns.

Both Wolverine and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in statements commended the speedy approval and pointed to the best interests of the affected homeowners.

"This Consent Decree resolves the litigation between the parties and includes significant next steps in Wolverine's extensive efforts to ensure long-term water quality and continued environmental remediation in and around its hometown," according to a statement from Wolverine.

The quick settlement will enable a push for construction to begin this spring, Nessel said in a statement.

"At the public comment session I hosted in Rockford last week, residents made clear that getting work started to address the threats posed by PFAS contamination -- real, tangible action -- was the top priority," she said. "This settlement does that."

Wolverine also will continue to operate and maintain drinking water filters in the North Kent County Study Area where concentrations of the PFAS compounds exceed 10 parts per trillion, continue residential drinking water well sampling, and probe and address surface water contamination, Nessel said.

Wolverine must also continue remediation efforts along House Street and at its former tannery site in Rockford. The tannery closed in 2009 and was demolished the next year.

Wolverine's funds also will support Plainfield Township's municipal PFAS filtration system and the creation of a new well field.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, or EGLE, will oversee the work.

Department Director Liesl Clark said in a statement Wednesday that investigations elsewhere into PFAS contamination will continue.

Wolverine is one of more than a dozen companies the state has sued in connection to PFAS contamination in the state.

Wolverine Worldwide Chairman, CEO and President Blake Krueger in December said the company remained in mediation discussions with the Minnesota company that manufactured PFAS compounds, including those in the ScotchGard water repellent used on Hush Puppies shoes at the Rockford factory.

The company will "vigorously pursue recoveries from our insurance carriers," he said at the time.

The settlement does not resolve class-action and individual lawsuits against Wolverine filed by residents exposed to the chemicals.

Contact Darcie Moran: dmoran@gannett.com.

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