One year ago, residents, Cindy Boyle and Jeff Lamont, who reside in the PFAS groundwater contamination plume, in the Town of Peshtigo, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to take a closer look into Tyco’s potential clean-up liability for the releases of toxic PFAS in the Marinette and Peshtigo area. Just last week, the EPA granted the petition and will initiate a site inspection at the Tyco Fire Technology Center to determine if the site is listed as a priority for remediation under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Lamont says, “we did this because we saw some behavior that we didn’t think was acceptable by Tyco and Johnson Controls. Also, the Department of Justice in Wisconsin is suing Tyco and they are suing Tyco for a number of reasons.”

Lamont says, “the EPA will initiate a site investigation or inspection at the JCI/ Tyco Fire Technology Center as a next step to evaluate the site as a possible national priority list candidate.”

While the EPA conducts a site inspection at the Tyco Fire Technology Center, the federal agency is also expecting to finalize a rule designating PFOS and PFOA as hazardous substances. This final designation could determine if the EPA uses its authority under CERCLA to hold Tyco responsible for the widespread impact of its PFAS releases in the Marinette and Peshtigo area.