GreenCAPE Pleased with Company’s Lawsuit Dropped Against Vermont Groundwater Standards

HYANNIS – Members GreenCAPE are praising a recent decision by a multinational corporation that makes plastics to dismiss a lawsuit against the State of Vermont.

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics dropped a lawsuit against the state, challenging the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) groundwater standards.

Last year, the chemicals were discovered in the groundwater and drinking water supply in the vicinity of the company’s former plant in Vermont.

The issue is similar to the Cape, where elevated levels of the same chemicals were found in one of the Hyannis drinking water wells.

Officials point to firefighting foams used at the Barnstable County Fire Training Academy as reason for the chemicals in the water as the wells are located close by.

The issue resulted in a lawsuit between the Town of Barnstable and Barnstable County for cleanup costs.