Riverkeeper Statement regarding NYS lawsuit against manufacturers of hazardous firefighting foam

US Air Force photo showing firefighting exercise at Stewart Air National Guard in 2004.

A statement from Riverkeeper President Paul Gallay regarding today’s announcement by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood: “Riverkeeper applauds the initiative taken today by Governor Andrew Cuomo and State Attorney General Barbara Underwood to sue the manufacturers of PFOS to bear the costs of the pollution they have caused by marketing a product that they should have known would cause harm to health and the environment. For example, PFOS contamination in and around the City of Newburgh has presented a serious threat to public health and the environment. This city of nearly 30,000 people has been exposed through polluted drinking water, and people are advised to eat no fish from several creeks. Other areas are also severely affected by similar contamination. Fundamentally, polluters will keep polluting unless they are forced to bear the consequences. We are gratified that New York is holding accountable those that pollute our waterways and harm public health.”