Company to pay $34M in chemical contamination lawsuit

BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A chemical company has agreed to pay $34 million to compensate residents of a Vermont town for chemical contamination in groundwater and soil. The Bennington Banner reports the ChemFab plant in Bennington used industrial chemicals that spread throughout the town and into the groundwater supply. PFOA has been known to cause cancers and various diseases. Plant owner Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics will provide $6 million for medical monitoring for those affected by the toxins. A spokesperson for the plaintiffs says that the settlement will provide the compensation necessary to aid the community. A judge must still approve the settlement.