Residents of Hoosick Falls, New York, who have already spent years dealing with drinking water contamination, are now facing a new source of frustration after DuPont sent denial letters tied to its class action settlement.
Thankfully, attorneys involved in the case say those notices may not mean residents are actually out of options.
What's happening?
Concern spread through the Hoosick Falls community after people in the class action case against DuPont started receiving notices that their claims had been denied, according to the Rensselaer Lens.
The chemical industry giant had initially agreed to pay out $27 million after residents got sick after allegedly drinking water contaminated with chemicals.
Now, even though the community has waited years for compensation over the forever chemicals pollution (specifically, PFOAs), the letters created new uncertainty.
The Hoosick Falls PFOA Settlement website said the situation may not be as final as it appears.
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An update from the site read, "Class Counsel is aware that many claimants received deficiency notices that they believe to be in error. Many deficiencies were received because a claimant submitted multiple claims for the same property and the duplicate claim is being denied."
The website added, "We will respond to all the calls and ensure valid claims will be paid. We ask that you be patient while we work through this process."
Last July, DuPont agreed to pay the settlement, but the payment schedule has changed. Money was originally expected in late July or early August, and is now anticipated sometime next month.
With the DuPont deal included, the total recovered through the lawsuits reached $92.25 million.
Why does it matter?
The denial letters come after years of living with the consequences of industrial pollution.
The issue came into focus over ten years ago after Hoosick Falls resident Mike Hickey began examining whether illnesses in his family might be connected to the village water supply. Testing later confirmed perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, in the water, per the Rensselaer Lens.
PFOAs do not break down easily and have been linked to serious health risks, including cancer. That finding prompted a wider search for where the contamination originated, with the Rensselaer Lens reporting that Saint Gobain's McCaffery Street facility was named along with Honeywell, 3M, and DuPont.
Even after water treatment measures began, the effects on the community reached well beyond the tap. Residents faced concerns about illnesses, blood monitoring, and declining home values, while some ultimately chose to move away.
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