DECATUR, Ala., Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 3M has reached
a collaborative agreement to resolve ongoing litigation and
negotiations related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
near 3M's Decatur, Ala. facility
with parties including The City of
Decatur and Morgan County,
the plaintiffs in St. John, and the Tennessee Riverkeeper
organization.
Through these agreements, subject to final approval,
3M will support activities to address
PFAS that 3M manufactured or disposed
of, as well as to enhance the quality of life for Decatur residents. 3M's contribution to the
total amount is reflected in the company's previously disclosed
financial reserves for litigation contingent liabilities.
"We appreciate the importance of our relationship with our
neighbors in Decatur. Through this
agreement, we can resolve these matters and take action that will
strengthen Decatur for the future
– a great thing for 3M and this
community," said Michelle Howell,
Decatur Site Director. "We will continue to take collaborative
action for communities where we live and work, our employees, and
their friends and families."
City of Decatur, Decatur
Utilities, Morgan County
The parties are pleased to have reached this agreement, through
which 3M will contribute
approximately $99M to support
initiatives that will build a stronger environment and community in
Decatur and the surrounding area.
Key provisions of the agreement include:
- Investing in the future for the Decatur community. 3M will support several initiatives that will
improve the quality of life and the overall environment for
Decatur.
This includes community redevelopment and recreation projects by
the City, County, and Decatur Utilities to develop and construct a
new public recreational facility, ball fields, and other projects
in the City of Decatur.
- Addressing legacy production. 3M will continue to address PFAS at sites where
3M disposed of PFAS, including the
Morgan County, Brookhaven, Old
Moulton Road and Deer Springs landfills.
This will include funding the installation of a synthetic liner and
cap in portions of the Morgan County Landfill, as has been done
effectively at other locations in Decatur. Furthermore, 3M will pay the City and County to reimburse
costs previously incurred related to PFAS remediation.
Tennessee Riverkeeper, St. John et al.
In addition, 3M is resolving
litigation between 3M and the
Tennessee Riverkeeper organization, as well as the plaintiffs in
the St. John matter. The agreements complement the Interim
Consent Order that 3M entered with
the Alabama Department of Environmental Management in 2020. Key
provisions of these settlement agreements include:
- Continuing to improve the local
environment. Through its agreement with the Tennessee
Riverkeeper and St. John plaintiffs, 3M will continue environmental characterization.
This work will include sampling of environmental media, such as
soil, ground water, and sediment regarding the potential presence
of PFAS at the 3M Decatur facility and legacy disposal sites.
Once this sampling has been completed, 3M will submit a report on its findings and plans
to appropriately address these materials to ADEM in accordance with
the Interim Consent Order. Plaintiffs will have the opportunity for
input. 3M will then work with
ADEM to support execution of any appropriate remedial actions.
The parties worked cooperatively over many months to reach this
negotiated agreement without resorting to additional lengthy and
expensive litigation, under the leadership of, Mayor Bowling,
Morgan County Commission Chairman
Ray Long, Decatur Utilities General
Manager and Chief Executive Officer Ray
Hardin, and many others.
About 3M
At 3M (NYSE: MMM), we apply science in collaborative
ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers
all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to
global challenges at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.
Investor Contact:
Bruce Jermeland
(651) 733-1807
Tony Riter
(651) 733-1141
Media Contact:
Sean Lynch
(651) 262-9310
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SOURCE 3M