Wolverine Resolves PFAS Claims with State of Michigan and 3M

Two years after the State of Michigan sued Wolverine for allegedly contaminating groundwater with PFAS, the shoemaker settled the State’s claims, agreeing to pay $69.5 million and extend municipal water to over a thousand properties that rely on groundwater as drinking water. One day after the Consent Decree was entered Wolverine settled its related claims…

California Utility Targets the Air Force for the Costs of its Water Treatment Upgrade

California-American Water claims the Air Force should be responsible for cleaning up groundwater contaminated with PFAS from a former nearby base that used firefighting foam during training exercises. The utility seeks $1.3 million, the cost of the granulated active carbon treatment system to address the contamination. After 3M removed this putative class action to the…

CAFA Jurisdiction Keeps Putative Class in Federal Court

After 3M removed this putative class action to the NDGA, Judge Totenberg asked the parties to show cause why the case should not be remanded to state court for lack of jurisdiction. After both sides agreed CAFA supplied jurisdiction, the Court decided not to remand the case, noting the inapplicability of CAFA’s exceptions due to…

Panel Thwarts Attempt to Add Middlesex Water Co. v. 3M Co. to MDL No. 2873

The Judicial Panel denied Defendants’ motion to transfer Middlesex Water Co., which did not on its face raise aqueous foam-related claims, to the MDL in South Carolina. The Panel noted the claims at issue involved the manufacture and sale of PFAS more generally and expressed concern that granting transfer would render the MDL unduly complicated…