New Hampshire has received another multimillion-dollar payment from companies tied to pollution, Valley News reported, adding new funding to the state's efforts to address the contamination of drinking water by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
The latest disbursement of $4.68 million will help communities respond to pollution from PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals" that can remain in water and soil for years.
Citing a release from New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, Valley News reported that the state said it received the payment through a lawsuit against certain PFAS manufacturers. The money will go to the New Hampshire Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund, "which provides grants and loans to public water systems for water source protection and PFAS mitigation," according to the publication.
The payment — from Tyco Fire Products, LP, and Chemguard, Inc. — is part of a nationwide class-action settlement totaling $750 million. The defendants reportedly manufacture PFAS and PFAS-containing materials.
New Hampshire expects to collect tens of millions more in such payments. After attorneys' fees and litigation costs are deducted, about $45 million is expected to be available for disbursement to municipalities, according to Valley News.
PFAS are often called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down easily and can persist in habitats and human bodies. They have become a major public health concern in New Hampshire and across the country, where the man-made chemicals have been found in countless drinking water supplies and linked to serious health problems, including cancers.
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The settlement money is being directed into an existing state fund intended to help public water systems respond to contamination. Communities can apply for grants or loans to upgrade treatment, protect wells, and address PFAS at the source.
New Hampshire's latest payout marks another step in a longer cleanup effort, with millions more still expected to flow to municipalities as the state continues addressing PFAS contamination in drinking water and groundwater.
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