KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Wolverine Worldwide announced Thursday 3M will pay $55 million towards PFAS remediation efforts in northern Kent County.
The news comes Wednesday as a judge approved a settlement between Wolverine and the state of Michigan.
The tab for bringing municipal water to residents in northern Kent County will be about $69.5 million and be used to fund the construction of new water service lines to more than 1,000 properties in an area that previously relied on residential drinking wells.
This is comprised of $113 million for incremental environmental investigation and remediation costs, including the $69.5 million for municipal water. The $55-million payment from 3M will partially offset this, according to Wolverine.
The Consent Decree, as part of the settlement, requires Wolverine to not only pay to extend municipal water to more than 1,000 properties, but the company must also continue to operate and maintain drinking water filters for the North Kent County study area. Wolverine is also required to continue residential drinking water well sampling.
The Consent Decree represents a comprehensive approach to addressing PFAS and as stated in Judge Neff’s order, was reached in “record time” and is “in the best interests of the affected homeowners, the surrounding communities, and the state of Michigan.”
Wolverine believes its actions over the next five years will have a "significant and beneficial impact on the resolution of these lawsuits," according to a statement from Wolverine Worldwide.
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