Concerns rising over reintroduction of Georgia PFAS shield law

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- As Georgia legislators prepare to head back to Atlanta next week, the Whitfield County Republican Party says they are opposing the reintroduction of a controversial bill.

In a statement on their Facebook page, Whitfield GOP chairman MaKray Kyer says that Georgia House Bill 211, sponsored by Dalton representative Kasey Carpenter, would be damaging to Whitfield County residents.

That bill, proposed last year, would shield carpet companies from lawsuits over the illegal dumping of forever chemicals such as PFAS.

We have spoken to numerous North Georgia residents who have found substantial amounts of forever chemicals on their properties.

Attorney Ben Finley, who works with the advocacy group PFAS Georgia, says that this bill would be disrespectful to those dealing with forever chemicals.

Finley said, “It’s definitely shameful and disgraceful that anyone would sponsor a bill like House Bill 211… The carpet industry is responsible for the problem in Northwest Georgia, and for  representatives who purport to represent the individuals in Northwest Georgia are doing something completely adverse to their constituents.”

We reached out to Representative Carpenter for his response to these criticisms.

We have not heard back.