West Virginia High Court Upholds Monsanto $93M Settlement

The state Supreme Court has upheld a judge’s approval of Monsanto Co.’s massive settlement with thousands of West Virginia residents.

In a 4-1 decision last Friday, the court affirmed a January ruling approving the class-action settlement of a lawsuit alleging that the Nitro community was contaminated with dioxin from the former Monsanto chemical plant. The plaintiffs said Monsanto polluted their community by burning waste from production of the defoliant Agent Orange.

Under the $93 million settlement, thousands of Nitro-area residents will be eligible for medical monitoring and property cleanups.

The Charleston Gazette reported that the court’s majority said it found “no substantial question of law and no prejudicial error” in various appeals of the settlement order.

Justice Brent Benjamin dissented.