Hunterdon County authorizes directors to sign confidential PFAS term sheet

The Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners voted May 5 to authorize the county director and deputy director to sign a confidential term sheet related to statewide litigation over PFAS chemicals involving DuPont and 3M. County Counsel Katrina Doyle told the board the agreement remains confidential while parties finalize terms and there is no settlement until all parties sign.

The authorization followed a presentation from the deputy director explaining the county’s involvement in the statewide action and noting a settlement fund established for 21 counties across the state. “At this point, we’re not saying too much about it because it is still [a] confidential term sheet,” County Counsel Katrina Doyle said, adding that there is no settlement until all parties agree.

Commissioners moved and seconded the resolution and approved it on a roll-call vote. The motion directs county leaders to sign the confidential document if and when the terms are finalized; County Counsel said minutes from the executive-session discussion will remain confidential until the need for confidentiality ends.

The board’s action does not disclose settlement amounts, allocation formulas, or future county use of any funds; County Counsel emphasized that details are being withheld while negotiations continue. The board did not amend any county ordinance or make financial appropriations as part of the vote; it simply authorized execution of the term sheet under the county’s existing legal and administrative processes.

Next steps described at the meeting are procedural: county officials said they will sign the term sheet if other parties sign and will provide public updates when confidentiality no longer prevents disclosure.