The recent $2.5 billion settlement between New Jersey and E.I. DuPont de Nemours marks a significant moment in environmental law, setting a benchmark for how states can address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.
After years of litigation, DuPont committed to cleaning up “forever chemical” contamination at four of its facilities, resulting in the largest environmental settlement ever reached by a single state.
Shareholder Steve Miano spoke with Law360 about the settlement’s broader impact, following up on his interview with the publication on the eve of the first bench trial in May.
“I think they’re all struggling with the whole PFAS liability question. There’s no doubt there’s liability. But I think everyone was trying to understand what amount would settle cases like this,” Steve said. “Now we have, at least with respect to this very large player, and for big properties, we have a sense of it’s a lot of money. And so I think that informs other states.”
