Roosevelt County Water Coop Sues 3M, DuPont, Raytheon, Several Others Over PFAS Contamination

PORTALES, N.M., June 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Singleton Schreiber filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Roosevelt County Water Coop, alleging products containing PFAS from several large manufacturers contaminated water and soil around Portales, New Mexico.

In one of the first lawsuits in New Mexico attempting to hold these manufacturers accountable, the suit is fighting to recover damages for the investigation, remediation, removal, disposal, treatment and monitoring of the various areas contaminated with deadly "forever chemicals."

The suit alleges these PFAS chemicals are located in soil, surface water, groundwater, land, facilities, infrastructures and more.

The companies named in the lawsuit include:

• 3M Company
• E. I. DuPont De Nemours and Company
• The Chemours Company
• Tyco Fire Products LP
• Chubb Fire, Ltd.
• Raytheon Technologies
• BASF Corporation
• Dynax Corporation

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS"), including perfluorooctanoic acid ("PFOA") and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid ("PFOS"), have been detected in the water around Portales, which provides the water used by the Roosevelt County Water Coop. These man-made compounds are toxic and persistent in the environment, do not biodegrade, move through groundwater and soil, and pose a serious threat to human health and safety. The suit specifically calls out how these corporations manufactured and sold aqueous film forming foam ("AFFF"), which contains forever chemicals. AFFF is a firefighting agent used to control and extinguish Class B fuel fires and is used at military bases, airports, petroleum refineries and fire training centers.

According to the complaint, Cannon Air Force Base has been using these chemicals for decades, and these chemicals have migrated into the soil and groundwater beneath the base. The highly contaminated groundwater from the base is moving toward the Roosevelt County Water Co-op properties and PFAS has been detected in drinking water wells around Portales. The PFAS from the base has contaminated surrounding properties and has resulted in significant damage which is still in the process of being assessed. The contamination continues to migrate.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to PFAS chemicals can lead to:

• Reproductive effects in pregnant women
• Developmental effects or delays in children
• Increased risk of some cancers
• Reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections
• Interference with the body's natural hormones

"The dangers posed by PFAS (or forever chemicals) has been an open secret for some time," said Singleton Schreiber Senior Counsel Paul Starita. "Now, after making billions of dollars or more off of the sales of these hazardous chemicals, it's time to hold these companies accountable for the harm they caused residents, service members, and first responders."

The case is Roosevelt County Water Coop, Inc. v. 3M COMPANY; E. I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY; THE CHEMOURS COMPANY; THE CHEMOURS COMPANY FC, LLC; DUPONT DE NEMOURS, INC.; CORTEVA, INC.; CHEMGUARD, INC.; TYCO FIRE PRODUCTS LP; KIDDE-FENWAL, INC.; KIDDE PLC, INC.; CHUBB FIRE, LTD.; UTC FIRE & SECURITY AMERICAS CORPORATION, INC.; CARRIER GLOBAL CORPORATION; RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (f/k/a United Technologies Corporation); NATIONAL FOAM, INC.; BUCKEYE FIRE EQUIPMENT COMPANY; ARKEMA, INC.; BASF CORPORATION; CHEMDESIGN PRODUCTS, INC.; CLARIANT CORPORATION; CHEMICALS INCORPORATED; NATION FORD CHEMICAL COMPANY; AGC CHEMICALS AMERICAS INC.; AGC INC. f/k/a ASAHI GLASS CO., LTD; DEEPWATER CHEMICALS, INC.; DYNAX CORPORATION; ARCHROMA MANAGEMENT, LLC; ARCHROMA U.S., INC.; AND JOHN DOE DEFENDANTS 1-49, U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, case No. 1:23-cv-376.

The complaint can be read here. 

About Singleton Schreiber
With over 200 employees and offices throughout the western United States, Singleton Schreiber has represented more than 12,000 victims of utility fires and has recovered approximately $2 billion in settlements and verdicts for its clients. The firm currently represents thousands of victims of the numerous fires in California, New Mexico, and Oregon. The firm's dedication to obtaining justice for those impacted by toxic conditions and environmental hazards sets it apart from the competition. The firm is also a premier personal injury firm, obtaining top results for clients, including more than $100 million in verdicts in 2022.

SOURCE Singleton Schreiber