$80M Settlement Reached Over Metropolis Illinois Uranium Conversion Plant Lawsuits
Metropolis, Illinois-based Solstice Advanced Materials has agreed to an $80 million settlement with local governments and individual plaintiffs over ongoing lawsuits related to its uranium conversion plant. The proposed deal would resolve multiple federal lawsuits involving the Metropolis Works facility.
The company, which was spun off from Honeywell last year, denies any liability or wrongdoing but is settling the claims to avoid further litigation costs. Around $50 million of the settlement funds will go towards homeowners who live within three miles of the plant and are suing over property damage and health concerns.
Massac County and the City of Metropolis would split $20 million from the settlement, with some of that money going towards public health initiatives and hospital upgrades. The remaining $10 million would resolve ongoing individual health-related claims. The parties will also negotiate an alternative dispute resolution process for those who receive cancer diagnoses linked to radiation exposure.
The agreement still needs approval from a federal judge, which could come as early as late November. This settlement comes as the US seeks to boost domestic nuclear energy generation, with the Trump administration pushing for more production and the Department of Energy awarding Solstice a $187.5 million grant last year to increase output at the Metropolis site.