The consulting engineering firm Veolia North America has agreed to a civil settlement of $ 53 million related to lead pollution in the water supply of the city of Flint, Mich. announce on February 21.
Veolia na, based Detroit Lake water supplied water to the Flint River in 2014. Water distribution pipes began to corrode after switch and lead and other pollutants were leaked to drinking water Municipal. The demand that was resolved was filed on behalf of 26,000 people affected by the water -contaminated water. Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement that the state will dismiss its separate demand against the company. The Declaration of the Attorney General said that the $ 53 million would be distributed among the plaintiffs, including families where both adults and children were exposed to lead -contaminated water.
“Although no amount of money can completely repair damage to the Flint community, these funds will provide additional resources to those affected directly, especially the children of Flint, due to this avoidable crisis,” said Attorney General Nessel in the statement.
Veolia na, in his statement, said that the settlement was not an admission of guilt and argued that public officials had to blame what happened and referred to a jury trial, of which he was. In the federal court in 2022, with Veolia and another engineering consultant, Lockwood Andrews Newnam, against law firms representing the children of Flint and their Families.
“Veolia North America is behind his good work in Flint. The only jury who had to consider the facts and listening to the truth did not find a test that said the opposite, “the statement said, referring to the almost six -month judgment that ended in an error.
“For the past eight years, we have been defending our work and reputation against unsuccessful attacks,” the statement continued. “As clearly shows the events of the 2022 trial, the Flint Water Crisis was caused by government officials. It is a rag that almost a decade since the crisis was launched, although no person Really responsible has been responsible. Parts involved.
After the mistreatment, Veolia na resolved the legal case involved in the 2022 trial with families for $ 25 million last October. Both Nessel and Veolia Na’s statements refer to this state agreement as the end of the litigation derived from Flint’s water crisis.
“”After years of legal battles elaborated, this agreement finally closes a chapter for Flint residents, “said Nessel in his statement.
