Cape Fear Public Utility Authority will participate as a class member in 3M’s proposed settlement with U.S. public water systems affected by PFAS contamination.
In a special-called meeting on Wednesday, December 6, the CFPUA Board voted to participate in the proposed settlement, which is pending in multi-district litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. All active public water systems in the United States with one or more water sources impacted by PFAS as of June 22, 2023, are considered to be class members unless they opt out of the settlement by December 12, 2023.
Federal District Judge Richard M. Gergel is to consider final approval of the 3M settlement in a Final Fairness Hearing scheduled at 10 a.m. February 2, 2024, in Charleston, South Carolina.
Settlement awards to individual class members, including CFPUA, will not be available until the claims administrator analyzes all submitted claims.
Participation in the 3M settlement will not affect CFPUA’s ongoing litigation related to PFAS contamination in the Cape Fear River from the Fayetteville Works chemical plant in Bladen County, which is operated by Chemours and, before it, DuPont: