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Clermont County authorizes participation in PFAS (AFFF) settlements with Tyco and BASF
Summary
The Board authorized county staff to submit documentation to participate in AFFF/PFAS settlements with Tyco and BASF after staff described PFAS detection in raw water and the prospective regulatory costs of removing 'forever chemicals' from drinking water.
The Clermont County Board of Commissioners voted Sept. 18 to authorize county officials to submit documentation and complete enrollment steps to participate in settlements with Tyco and BASF connected to aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) litigation and related PFAS drinking-water claims.
Lyle Blum, director of utilities, told the board the county detected PFAS compounds in raw water sources that supply local drinking-water plants and described the chemicals as "what's known as a forever chemical." He said anticipated U.S. EPA or Ohio EPA drinking-water regulations over the next several years may require water suppliers to remove PFAS and that participation in settlements could help the county recover some future costs of treatment.
County staff framed the action as an administrative authorization to allow Lyle Blum or County Administrator Thomas J. Eigel to submit paperwork and coordinate with legal counsel on settlement participation; the board approved the motion by roll call. No settlement amount, allocation method, or projected recovery to Clermont County was disclosed at the meeting.
Commissioners referenced broader, continuing litigation involving other manufacturers such as 3M and DuPont, and reiterated that participation in these settlements is intended to help offset future water-treatment costs rather than to commit to specific remedies at the meeting.
The board's vote authorizes staff to proceed with administrative enrollment/documentation in coordination with counsel; any financial recovery or program implementation would be subject to later reporting and possible separate appropriation actions.
