Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb approved both settlements Aug. 7.

More: Toxic Secrets: Pollution, evasion and fear in North Jersey

In her ruling, Bumb described the recovery as an “impressive windfall” for New Jersey. Continuing the litigation, she wrote, could have left New Jersey with far less or nothing at all.

“But this is only the beginning of what will be a long road to restore our environment from the unfortunate legacy of these chemicals,” acting Environmental Commissioner Ed Potosnak said.

What the settlement means for Pompton Lakes

The $350 million is a financial backstop, not a payment to Pompton Lakes. Chemours must establish the funding source to guarantee that the cleanup is completed, borough meeting minutes show.

Borough Attorney David Ruitenberg told the council in October 2025 that the amount could be reduced as work progresses and the state Department of Environmental Protection determines that less money is needed. Any reduction would require the department’s approval and is not expected to happen quickly, he said.

The cleanup obligation itself is not capped at $350 million. DuPont, Chemours, Corteva and the other related companies must finish the work even if the final cost is higher.

A separate $475 million reserve covers Pompton Lakes Works and the three other industrial sites included in the settlement: Chambers Works in Salem County, Parlin in Middlesex County and Repauno in Gloucester County. The state can draw from that reserve if Chemours falls behind or fails to meet its obligations, Ruitenberg said.

Pompton Lakes officials have also pressed the state for a direct share of the $75 million in natural resource damages.

The Borough Council adopted a resolution in November 2025 asking the DEP to provide some of the money to Pompton Lakes, give the borough regular reports on how it is spent and create a process for local restoration projects to receive funding. The resolution cited the physical, emotional and financial toll the contamination has taken on the community.

Borough officials had not received a response as of early 2026 and planned to send a follow-up letter, council meeting minutes show.

Natural resource damage money is restricted by the state Constitution and must be used to restore, replace or preserve damaged resources. Priority is given to the area where the damage occurred, but the DEP will select the projects and control the money.

The state’s $2.5 billion valuation includes direct payments as well as cleanup funds and financial guarantees. It does not represent a single payment to New Jersey. The companies will make payments annually over 25 years.

Up to $795 million from the two settlements will be used to address PFAS contamination statewide. The money can finance upgrades for drinking water and wastewater systems, treatment for contaminated private wells and investigations at places such as airports, landfills and fire training facilities.

PFAS have been used in firefighting foam, water-resistant coatings and other consumer and industrial products because they resist heat, water and oil. Those same properties keep them from breaking down naturally. The chemicals can accumulate in the environment and the human body and have been linked to certain cancers, immune system problems and developmental disorders.

DuPont’s toxic legacy in Passaic County

The contamination in Pompton Lakes extends beyond PFAS.

The former DuPont plant operated in Pompton Lakes and Wanaque from 1902 until 1994, producing explosives, blasting caps and metal components. Decades of manufacturing left lead, mercury and volatile organic compounds in the soil, sediment and groundwater.

Trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, solvents used at the plant, were dumped into unlined lagoons. The chemicals seeped into the ground and migrated beneath a nearby neighborhood, where they eventually vaporized into the basements of homes.

Testing in 2008 confirmed widespread vapor intrusion. Mitigation systems were later installed in more than 330 homes.

A 2009 state health study found higher-than-expected rates of kidney cancer among women and non-Hodgkin lymphoma among men living above the plume. State health officials did not establish that the contamination caused the illnesses.

The Record and NorthJersey.com found in the 2018 investigative series “Toxic Secrets” that DuPont resisted vapor testing and delayed public warnings for years, even as regulators raised concerns about contamination beneath homes.

DuPont transferred responsibility for the site to Chemours when it spun off the chemical company in 2015. Cleanup and monitoring have continued, but some of the most significant work remains unresolved.

DEP officials recently reported that the contaminated groundwater plume covers about 172 acres. They said final plans have not been selected for groundwater near the original pollution sources or some contaminated soil, and there is no estimated date for completing the work.