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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 7, 2025 |
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LANSING – Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the Department of Attorney General will begin seeking proposals from attorneys and law firms to serve as Special Assistant Attorneys General to litigate against manufacturers of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for damages from their actions and from the impact of PCBs on the environment, on behalf of the State of Michigan.
PCBs are a group of human-made chemicals once used in a variety of manufacturing processes and for products ranging from coolants and lubricants to caulks, paper products, sealants, and electrical equipment. PCBs are banned for sale and manufacture in the United States due to their toxicity and their tendency to “bioaccumulate,” meaning the chemicals accumulate in an organism over time, and that accumulation continues up the food chain through consumption of contaminated plants and animals. In areas affected by PCB contamination, the wildlife and fish may contain unsafe levels of the chemicals. To prevent unsafe exposure to PCBs and other chemicals, Michigan issues the Eat Safe Fish guidelines.
“While PCBs are thankfully no longer manufactured in the United States, their harmful effects continue to contaminate our natural resources, wildlife, and communities,” Nessel said. “The manufacturers responsible for this damage should be held accountable, not Michigan taxpayers. Pursuing this litigation will ensure that those who profited from the manufacture and sale of these chemicals and who hid the known toxicity and negative impacts of their use are held liable for the lasting damage they caused.”
“The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy remains committed to addressing legacy contamination and protecting Michigan’s natural resources and public health,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “Taking steps to clean up PCB contamination isn’t just our environmental duty; it’s a commitment to restoring our communities and securing a cleaner, safer future for all.”
The Department has pursued and secured remediation and restoration work at sites of PCB contamination in Michigan where PCBs were used and released into the environment at unsafe levels. However, there are areas where too little work, or no work at all, is being done to clean up the contamination and restore our resources.
The Department is seeking proposals from attorneys and law firms with experience and interest in pursuing constitutional, statutory, tort and other applicable common law claims against manufacturers of toxic chemicals that ended up in the environment.
Contracts will be awarded based on the best value to the State, considering qualifications, experience, abilities, capacity, and cost-effectiveness. The Attorney General will make the final decision based on recommendations from Department staff, ensuring an objective selection process that maintains bidder anonymity.
The Department will post a notice of award on its website after the selection has been made. Selected attorneys and law firms will be compensated on a contingency fee basis.
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