UPDATE: Checks will be issued to approved claimants and individually listed occupants on May 27, 2022.

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

If you owned, leased, rented, or resided in a home or residential property serviced by the
Parchment Water System as of July 26, 2018, you may be a Settlement Class Member. 

●     A proposed settlement has been reached with the 3M Company, Georgia-Pacific LLC, and Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (“Defendants”) to resolve claims brought by Named Plaintiffs on behalf of a proposed class relating to the contamination of Parchment’s municipal water system with PFAS chemicals. The Defendants have expressly denied these claims but have agreed to the terms of a proposed settlement.  The proposed settlement has been memorialized in a written agreement between the parties (the “Settlement Agreement”).  If approved by the Court, the Settlement Agreement requires the Settlement Class Members to release certain claims concerning the contamination, and it requires Defendants to pay $11,900,000 into a fund (the “Settlement Fund”) for the benefit and advantage of the Settlement Class Members, as defined by the Settlement Agreement.

●     The Class Notice explains the proposed settlement, your rights, the available benefits, and how to get them. As a potential Settlement Class Member, you have various options that you may exercise before the Court decides whether to approve the proposed settlement. Unless you properly exclude yourself (“opt out”) of the proposed settlement, you will be bound by its terms if it is approved by the Court.

●     The Court in charge of this case still has to decide whether to approve the proposed settlement.

●     Your legal rights are affected by whether you act or do not act.  Please read the Class Notice carefully.

The final fairness hearing is at 10:00 AM on 9/1 and that the public may access the proceedings at (877) 336 1839 with access code 4382440#. Also, RECORDING OR BROADCASTING OF THIS PROCEEDING IS PROHIBITED.

Your Legal Rights and Options in this Proposed Settlement

MAKE A CLAIM FOR PAYMENT

If you want to participate in the proposed settlement and receive payment from the Settlement Fund, you must complete the Claim Form on this website and submit it with the required information or mail the completed Claim Form and required information to the Class Administrator postmarked no later than July 26, 2021. If you do not do so, you will waive your right to any payment from the Settlement Fund.  Whether you timely submit a properly completed Claim Form or not, if the Court approves the settlement, you will be part of the Settlement Class and be bound by the terms of the Settlement Agreement, including the release of Defendants from all Released Claims as defined in the Settlement Agreement. After the deduction of expenses, costs, attorneys’ fees for Class Counsel, and incentive awards for Named Plaintiffs, Settlement Class Members that submit approved Claim Forms will receive checks in amounts based on the Settlement Class Allocation Plan.  All checks must be cashed within 120 days of the date on the check, or you will forfeit your right to receive any payment from the Settlement Fund.

EXCLUDE YOURSELF OR
“OPT OUT”

If you exclude yourself and opt out of the proposed settlement, you will no longer be a Settlement Class Member, Class Counsel will not be representing you, your claims will not be released, and you will retain your right to sue Defendants about the same claims in this lawsuit subject to any and all defenses they may assert to any such claims. You will not be eligible to receive any payment from the Settlement Fund, and you will have no standing or ability to object to the proposed settlement. To exclude yourself and opt out of the proposed settlement, you must strictly follow the procedures outlined below and submit your request no later than July 12, 2021, or you will remain part of the Settlement Class and be bound by the orders of the Court.

OBJECT

If there is something about the proposed settlement that you do not like and think is legally inappropriate, you may remain part of the Settlement Class and object to all or part of the proposed settlement. You may do so on your own or through a lawyer that you hire to assist you. If you object, you will be part of the Settlement Class and still must submit a timely and properly completed Claim Form if you wish to receive payment under this settlement. To object to the proposed settlement, you must strictly follow the procedures outlined below and submit your written objection postmarked no later than July 12, 2021, or you will waive your right to object.  If you do properly and timely object, you will be part of the Settlement Class and be bound by the Court’s decisions like every other Settlement Class Member who does not opt out or exclude themselves.

DO NOTHING

You do not have to do anything to participate in the proposed settlement. But, if you do not do anything and the Court ultimately approves the proposed settlement, you will waive your right to object to any portion of the proposed settlement, you will be bound by the terms of the Settlement Agreement, and will have released Defendant from any and all claims as defined in the Settlement Agreement. You will also not obtain any payment from the Settlement Fund.