Amherst, New Hampshire: Jury Awards Residents More Than $4 Million in 'Forever Chemicals' Lawsuit
In Amherst, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, residents have won their lawsuit over 'forever chemicals' contamination: on November 6, a Hillsborough County Superior Court jury ordered defendant Textiles Coated International to pay $4.36 million to a plaintiff class of more than 200 homeowners, compensating them for the loss of property value caused by PFOA contamination of private wells.
'Forever chemicals' are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which break down extremely slowly in the environment, can accumulate in the human body over long periods and are linked to a range of health risks; they have become a focus of environmental litigation across the United States in recent years. Amherst residents filed the class action in 2017, alleging that the company's production activities at its local plant polluted the environment and harmed residents' health and property. After a three-week trial, the jury found the company liable for negligence, negligent failure to warn, trespass and nuisance.
The verdict is one of the most closely watched legal developments in New Hampshire this week and again highlights the nationwide trend of communities holding polluting companies accountable; similar lawsuits have been filed in multiple states in recent years, and their outcomes often become important references for later cases.
Separately, Greyhound will launch a new route on November 17 linking Keene and Peterborough with Boston via Nashua and Lowell, with two daily round trips. The service, introduced in partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and others, will make it easier for residents to commute and travel to Boston. (Source: Hillsborough County Superior Court, New Hampshire)
Source: Hillsborough County Superior Court, New Hampshire
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：新罕布什尔州阿默斯特村绿地秋景。Fraser Fulford 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Amherst Village Green in autumn, Amherst, New Hampshire. By Fraser Fulford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
