A federal court has approved two landmark settlements requiring DuPont-related companies and 3M to pay New Jersey approximately $2.5 billion over the next 25 years to address contamination from PFAS and other pollutants, state officials announced Friday.

The settlements resolve years of litigation brought by New Jersey against the companies over widespread contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.” The agreement with DuPont-related entities is valued at more than $2 billion and is the largest environmental settlement ever reached by a single state, according to the state.

“This is truly a historic moment for New Jersey,” Acting Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Ed Potosnak said. He said the settlement represents “only the beginning” of a long effort to restore areas affected by decades of PFAS manufacturing and use.

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been used since the 1940s in a wide range of consumer, household and industrial products. They are known as “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and do not readily break down.

State officials said studies have linked PFAS exposure to a range of potential health effects, including certain cancers, immune and endocrine disorders, and developmental problems. Children and infants may be particularly vulnerable to exposure.

The litigation covered four major industrial sites in New Jersey, including the Chambers Works site in Salem County, as well as statewide claims involving PFAS contamination and firefighting foam known as aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF.

The four sites targeted for natural resource restoration are Pompton Lakes Works in Pompton Lakes and Wanaque; the Parlin site in Sayreville; the Repauno site in Greenwich Township, Gloucester County; and Chambers Works in Pennsville and Carneys Point Township.

Under the settlements, up to $795 million will be dedicated to PFAS abatement. The money will be placed in dedicated funds and used to finance projects addressing PFAS contamination in drinking water and wastewater systems.

At least $150 million will be provided through the New Jersey Water Bank to help publicly owned treatment works finance projects to remove or address PFAS. Another $90 million will be designated to help counties investigate and remediate PFAS contamination at county-owned fire training academies and airports, where PFAS-containing firefighting foam was used.

The settlements also provide up to $365 million for natural resource damages. That money will be used to restore natural resources affected by PFAS and other contaminants, including resources near the four industrial sites.

The state said municipalities and members of the public will have opportunities to suggest potential restoration projects as DEP develops plans for the funds.

In addition, the DuPont-related companies agreed to establish up to $1.2 billion in remediation funding for the four industrial sites, along with a $475 million reserve fund. The companies will be responsible for fully remediating the sites regardless of the ultimate cost, state officials said.

Approximately $195 million of the recovered funds will cover legal fees and costs.

The settlements were initially announced in 2025 and subsequently underwent a public comment period before the state sought judicial approval. New Jersey said it resolved objections raised by 18 counties and a coalition of publicly owned wastewater treatment plants before the settlements received final approval.

The payments from DuPont-related companies and 3M will be made annually over 25 years.

Including the settlements announced Friday and previous agreements, New Jersey expects to recover more than $3 billion from lawsuits filed since 2019 involving PFAS and other pollutants.

State officials said the funds will provide a long-term source of money for cleaning up contamination and protecting New Jersey’s water supplies and natural resources without placing the financial burden on taxpayers.