TOMS RIVER – Ocean County officials are urging the State of New Jersey to reject a proposed $450 million settlement agreement with 3M unless counties are granted direct control over how the funds are used to address PFAS contamination.
The state’s current plan, announced in May, would give the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) full authority over the settlement, including how the money is distributed across the state. Ocean County leaders say that model shuts out the local governments most directly dealing with the effects of PFAS — commonly known as “forever chemicals.”
“We are seeing a growing PFAS plume moving through our groundwater,” said Commissioner Robert S. Arace, who is leading the effort on behalf of the Board of Commissioners. “Our towns are being forced to install costly treatment systems just to protect drinking water. If the settlement funds are held solely by the DEP, our local officials are in the dark and our residents are left waiting.”
Arace said Ocean County’s municipalities know their infrastructure and water systems best, and that local oversight would ensure funds go directly to communities facing contamination. “Local leaders must be at the table, not on the sidelines, when these decisions are being made,” he said.
County officials argue that a centralized approach could delay action and dilute resources through state bureaucracy. They say local governments are better positioned to prioritize projects and make visible progress toward cleaner water and stronger public health protections.
“When the State holds all the money and all the authority, the result is delay, bureaucracy, and a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t work,” Arace said.
Deputy Director Frank Sadeghi said the funds should be distributed where contamination has occurred. “Each county faces unique environmental and infrastructure challenges,” he said. “Local governments are on the front lines of addressing them every day.”
Commissioner Jennifier Bacchione pointed to the opioid settlement model, which allowed counties and municipalities to manage funds directly. “Counties have demonstrated their ability to manage settlement funds with integrity,” she said. “We have the oversight and community partnerships to ensure these dollars make a real difference.”
Commissioner Virginia E. Haines said residents deserve to see tangible results from the settlement in their own communities. “Local control is the only way to guarantee that happens,” she said.
Ocean County is calling on the state to revise the PFAS settlement framework so each of New Jersey’s 21 counties can directly access funds for remediation, water treatment upgrades, and public health programs.
“This is about public trust,” Arace added. “Every dollar from this settlement should be visible, traceable, and tied to real environmental improvements right here in Ocean County.”
