TRENTON – Senator Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer) released the following statement celebrating Attorney General and Department of Environmental Protection’s announcement of a substantial environmental settlement between the State of New Jersey and DuPont to remedy long-standing contamination stemming from PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances):

“I applaud Attorney General Matt Platkin and DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette for securing this historic multi-billion dollar settlement with DuPont and its related entities. This is the most significant environmental settlement of its kind and marks a monumental victory for environmental justice and public health in New Jersey.

“For far too long, communities across our state have felt the devastating impacts of toxic industrial contamination, particularly from PFAS, dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ that have infiltrated our drinking water and threaten the health of our residents. These substances have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, developmental issues, and numerous other chronic illnesses.

“While I have already sponsored legislation to mitigate the effects of these chemicals, today’s settlement aims to further correct the damage that has been done. This agreement not only ensures the full cleanup of four heavily polluted industrial sites across the state through a $1.2 billion remediation fund, but also allocates $875 million to restore our natural resources and water treatment efforts.

“This outcome proves that New Jersey will fight to ensure that polluters pay their fair share for the devastating damages they have caused. I remain committed to working alongside the Attorney General and the DEP to ascertain how to swiftly and effectively allocate these funds to best clean up our communities and protect public health in the future.”