Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs (pictured above) released a statement Tuesday announcing a $2 million payout from Monsanto, a former agricultural chemical and seed company that Bayer acquired several years ago. The payout is part of a class action lawsuit in which several municipalities participating in the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program experienced contamination in their creek and/or lake sediment.
The lawsuit against Monsanto resulted in a settlement of $500 million in total. Knox County’s portion of the settlement represents compensation for the contamination of the Fort Loudon Reservoir and Lower Clinch Reservoir with PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls).
Bayer’s website features a page discussing its “managing and mitigating” U.S. PCB litigation risks. Bayer has been a defendant to other lawsuits around the country as a result of its now-subsidiary Monsanto’s previous dealings with the harmful chemicals.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PCBs have been shown to “cause cancer in animals as well as a number of serious non-cancer health effects in animals, including: effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, endocrine system and other health effects.” The EPA also says that there is evidence in humans “for potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of PCBs.”
Both the EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have classified PCBs as probable carcinogens to humans based on a multitude of peer-reviewed studies.
“We are excited about the opportunities this money gives us to protect our waterways and our citizens. We were contaminated through no fault of our own, but are determined to fix the problem,” said Knox County Engineering and Public Works Director, Jim Snowden.
The mayor’s office said the funds will “go towards the protection of local waterways and the mitigation and monitoring of PCBs.” Knox County established a “Stormwater Fund for the money to be used on education, monitoring, and implementation of projects to protect local waterways.”
Last month, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced a series of new grants for localities dedicated to improvements in drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructures. Knox County received $15 million of those funds to “address critical needs and increase the availability of clean drinking water to rural areas of the county.”
The TDEC grant funding derived from the American Rescue Plan Act funds, also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package.
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Mac Roberts is a reporter at The Tennessee Star. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Glenn Jacobs” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “Knox County Tennessee Courthouse” by Nfutvol. CC BY-SA 3.0.
