Brockstedt Mandalas Federico Partner Phil Federico was featured in The Daily Record discussing an important federal court ruling that allows Elkton residents Cheryl and Stephen Martin to intervene in Maryland’s environmental enforcement action against W.L. Gore & Associates. The decision enables the Martins, who allege their drinking water contains more than four times the safe level of PFOA, to join the state as full participants in the lawsuit.
The Martins, represented by BMF, live near multiple Gore production facilities and allege that decades of PFAS emissions have contaminated their well water and the surrounding environment. They claim that PFAS released from Gore’s Elkton facilities has migrated through airborne emissions and groundwater, impacting residential wells and the broader community.
Although Gore conceded that the Martins met the legal standard to intervene, the company asked the court to limit their involvement to one facility and to restrict their participation in discovery. The federal court rejected those requests in full. According to Federico, the ruling strengthens community members’ ability to advocate for meaningful remediation and accountability.
Maryland filed its lawsuit under state environmental laws and the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), with allegations involving unauthorized discharges and long-standing environmental harm across 13 Gore facilities. The court’s decision ensures that the Martins’ firsthand experiences and evidence can help inform and advance the case.
BMF also represents hundreds of Elkton community members in related PFAS exposure litigations and continues working to secure justice, accountability, and long-term protections for affected communities.
Read the full article here: https://thedailyrecord.com/2025/11/25/elkton-couple-gore-chemical-lawsuit/
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