Lee — In a press release issued on Tuesday, March 19, the town announced that it has refiled a lawsuit against Monsanto and General Electric in Berkshire Superior Court.
According to the press release, the lawsuit is for “Intentional Infliction of Harm to Humans and the Environment”:
“The complaint filed in Berkshire Superior Court includes evidence of a 1972 written contract from Monsanto to GE that proves that Monsanto was aware of the dangers of PCBs but conspired with GE to continue their use, which included the sale of an additional PCB’s until 1977. The 1972 special indemnification agreement between GE and Monsanto states,
‘… without implied limitation, any contamination of or adverse effects on humans, marine and wildlife, food, animal feed or the environment by reason of such PCBs.’”
The town will be seeking compensatory and punitive damages “for the alleged criminal acts committed by both companies.”
In the press release, Lee Select Board Chair, Bob Jones, states: “This is another path toward undoing the injustices perpetrated on the residents of Lee and the Housatonic River Corridor. The abuses of multibillion dollar corporations over decades, the lack of response of our elected representatives, and the ongoing deception in order to keep all of us in the dark must end here.”
The full text of the lawsuit is available on the town’s website.
