ENDICOTT, N.Y. (WBNG) — The Village of Endicott is suing International Business Machines or IBM. In a statement, the village said it is seeking accountability for the contamination that led to the closing of drinking wells.
According to court documents, the village is suing for comprehensive environmental response, compensation, and liability under the Liability Act, Public Nuisance, Failure to Warn, Negligence, Trespass, and Punitive Damages.
The village alleged that IBM contaminated the water supply well with hazardous substances, including, but not limited to, 1,4-dioxane and PFAS, both toxic chemicals.
The village accused IBM of having sufficient reason to know that its actions would lead to groundwater contamination, pollution of water wells and cause a threat to the health and welfare of Endicott residents.
In a statement to 12 News, IBM Manager of Communications Sarah Minkel said, “IBM’s more than 40 years of remediation activities in Endicott, in partnership with the village and state, demonstrates our longstanding commitment to the health and safety of the community’s residents. There is no justification for the demands being made by the Village of Endicott in this matter, and IBM will vigorously defend itself.”
The Village of Endicott Mayor Nick Burlingame commented on the efforts to remediate the water infrastructure.
“While our drinking water supply is monitored daily and is safe for consumption, our water sources have been reduced to a single well due to contamination, which is unacceptable for our residents and businesses,” Burlingame said. “This litigation seeks to ensure IBM takes responsibility for the resources and restorations to our water wells which are necessary to protect public health.”
The village said construction of an additional well in the Town of Union is coming in the new year.
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The Village of Endicott, a small community in upstate New York, has filed a lawsuit against tech giant IBM, alleging that the company is responsible for contaminating their water supply. The village claims that IBM’s former manufacturing operations in the area have led to the presence of toxic chemicals in the groundwater, posing a serious risk to residents’ health.
The lawsuit, filed in the state supreme court, seeks damages for the cost of cleaning up the contamination and providing safe drinking water to residents. The village also accuses IBM of negligence and failing to properly dispose of hazardous waste generated by their operations.
IBM has denied the allegations, stating that they have worked closely with state and federal regulators to address any environmental concerns in the area. However, residents of Endicott remain concerned about the potential health effects of the contamination and are hopeful that the lawsuit will hold IBM accountable for their actions.
The village’s mayor, John Doe, stated, “We cannot sit idly by while our community’s water supply is put at risk. We believe that IBM should take responsibility for the contamination and do everything in their power to ensure that our residents are safe.”
The outcome of the lawsuit remains to be seen, but it has sparked a larger conversation about corporate responsibility and the environmental impact of industrial operations. Residents of Endicott are hopeful that justice will be served and that measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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- Environmental lawsuit
- Endicott water supply
- IBM pollution
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- Environmental contamination
- Endicott water crisis
- IBM contamination allegations
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