-David Crowder, WRGA News-
The Floyd County Commission has voted in favor of a request to approve authorization to execute an engagement agreement with attorneys for PFAS litigation.
Arnold & Itkin LLP will serve as lead counsel to represent Floyd County in pursuing claims against persons and entities responsible for polluting county landfills, and other affected properties, including drinking water wells and parks, with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.
“We have spent the last several months working with Jamie McCord, with sort of engineering, getting some input from that team, our folks at the landfill, and other places,” said Floyd County Attorney Chris Jackson. “The landfill is a type of place that collects trash, and we don’t get to really say what kinds of trash we take or don’t take in. Some PFAS have been obviously detected, and this is the first step in engaging council to move forward and prosecute those claims.”
Gordon County is part of a suit seeking to recover cleanup costs from PFAS found in its landfill.
“This group that was recommending that you engage is a group that is already representing some other communities in Northwest Georgia—Gordon County is one, and I believe Catoosa may be another,” Jackson added. They are specifically representing counties in relationship to bringing claims directly related to bringing claims directly related to PFAS within their landfills. So, they are gonna be looking at that for Floyd County. We got to touch base with these attorneys and recommended that we expand that to look at all the various ways in which he may be affecting Floyd County property.”
PFAS are often referred to as forever chemicals because they do not break down easily in the environment and can create long-term challenges for local governments responsible for protecting public health, drinking water resources, parks, landfills, and other public infrastructure.
PFAS contamination can place significant financial and operational burdens on taxpayers by requiring monitoring, testing, treatment, remediation, and other protective measures to safeguard residents and public property. The pollution has caused, and continues to cause, real financial and health damages to the citizens of Floyd County.
Also on Tuesday, as part of the consent agenda, the commission approved an agreement with Georgia Power for exterior lighting at the Historic Courthouse for security purposes.
The cost will be covered by insurance proceeds.
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