the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at the Village Council Public Meeting, of February 8, 2023, the Mayor and Council unanimously approved two bond ordinances to fund the next phases of the PFAS Treatment Master Plan. The companion funding ordinances of $42 million and $18.5 million will facilitate borrowing through the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank for the four largest PFAS treatment facilities and the associated raw water mains to connect satellite wells to each treatment facility. These treatment facilities, producing upwards of 11.5 million gallons per day of PFOA and PFOS free water, will be located in Wyckoff, Midland Park and Glen Rock. A total of 10.4 miles of raw water main will be constructed to connect offsite wells to each treatment facility, raising the total amount of wells treated at all four facilities to thirty three. Ridgewood Water currently has PFAS treatment online for seven wells and will be adding an eighth well this summer.
Major settlement in “forever chemicals”, PFAS ‘s may have major impact on Ridgewood Water and its ability to flush PFAS’s out of the water system.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year proposed new standards to limit PFAS in public drinking water, requiring utilities to monitor for six of the chemicals and reduce their levels.
Three major chemical manufacturers announced last Friday they will pay nearly $1.2 billion to settle claims that they contaminated water sources across the United States with harmful “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
Chemours, DuPont and Corteva said in a joint press release that they had “reached an agreement in principle to resolve all PFAS-related drinking water claims” for areas serving “the vast majority of the United States population.”
A total of $1.185 billion will be given to a settlement fund, with Chemours contributing $592 million, DuPont paying $400 million and another $193 million added by Corteva.
In addition to the agreement reached by the trio of companies, Bloomberg has reported that industrial giant 3M has signed an agreement in principle worth at least $10 billion to settle other PFAS-related lawsuits brought by several US towns and cities.
“forever chemicals,” which is a common term used to describe a group of chemical substances known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
PFAS are synthetic compounds that have been widely used in various industrial and commercial applications since the 1940s. They are valued for their unique properties, such as resistance to heat, water, and oil, which make them useful in products like non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, firefighting foams, and many others.
The term “forever chemicals” stems from the fact that PFAS are highly persistent in the environment and do not readily break down. They are resistant to degradation processes and can persist for extended periods. This persistence has raised concerns about their potential long-term impacts on human health and the environment.
PFAS have been detected in water supplies, soil, and wildlife worldwide, as well as in the blood of humans. Some studies have linked exposure to PFAS with various health issues, including liver damage, developmental delays, immune system dysfunction, and an increased risk of certain cancers.
Due to their potential risks, there have been efforts to regulate and phase out the use of certain PFAS compounds. However, the widespread use and persistence of these chemicals make their complete elimination challenging, and they continue to be a topic of concern in environmental and public health discussions.
BUT DOES IT HAVE A JAPANESE KOI POND? https://theridgewoodblog.net/but-does-it-have-a-japanese-koi-pond/ #startupfunding, #venturecapital, #crowdfunding, #fundmystartup, #investinstartups, #startupinvesting, #fundraising, #startuplife, #startupcommunity, #startupgrind, #investmentopportunity
And meanwhile why not create a lot more of these by paving the entire town with carcinogenic plastic grass?
There will probably be a lawsuit when all of the Shedler residents with the private wells get sick. I am wondering if they would be able to hold Paul Vagianos, Siobahn C. Winograd and Evan Weitz responsible for their demise and any health impact of the decisions that they are making. In addition to cutting down all of the trees at Schedler, people could develop asthma or other breathing conditions as they live right on Route 17. Lorraine has said no to large field and no to turf, Pam has said yes to large field and is still deciding on the turf. Therefore, the 3 council members pushing for the sports complex could be liable for putting those residents in harms way all the way knowing they have private wells and leveling the trees will have an impact on people’s health and well being.
That’s what I have been saying from the beginning. Only by taking the legal system way you can have a chance of stopping this. If Schedler residents really are against this disaster they should hire a lawyer and contemplate all the options to threaten a lawsuit. No court would go against residents concerns about long term health impact and wellbeing. I bet if they setup a gofundme to fund this effort many people across RW will contribute including myself.
This VC has shown that is totally disinterested about any resident’s concerns, opinions and ideas. I mean, just look at their stone cold faces.