Cooper Township officials told the Utility Policy Committee on May 8 that Georgia Pacific has contacted the township and offered to fund water hookups for residents affected by Parchment PFAS.

Jeff Sorensen, Cooper Township supervisor and chair of the regional commission, said Georgia Pacific representative Scott Kiesling reached out repeatedly and that the company "intends to try and get everybody to hook up at no charge, and they'll pay the freight on that." Sorensen said Georgia Pacific asked Cooper Township or the city to reach out to residents who have not yet hooked up and that the company wants to arrange payments or reimbursements when services are requested.

Staff and committee members described the proposal as a way to increase connections for affected households; no formal UPC action was taken. Sorensen said the company and Cooper Township will coordinate with the city on logistics and that addresses of nonconnected residents were requested from the city so Georgia Pacific can contact them.

The committee did not provide additional financial details or a binding commitment from Georgia Pacific in the meeting record; staff said further coordination would follow.