Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown says the amount of funds the state will seek from W.L. Gore for its alleged role in contaminating drinking water with PFAS chemicals is “likely a very large number.”

Brown said there were extensive damages for past and future contamination caused by Gore’s factory in Cecil County.

“I can tell you that the components of our damage claim right is to remediate the harm that's been done, the cost of abatement, to prevent future harm, and then to the extent that there's been - and we suspect that there has been - harm to people and communities, then we'll seek recovery in that regard as well,” Brown said during a press conference Monday.

W.L. Gore is most notably known for its waterproof material Gore-Tex, used in making jackets. However, the material used per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or forever chemicals.

The chemicals are known for lasting a long time in drinking water and can cause cancer, thyroid disease and reproductive issues.

“PFAS are linked to cancer, weakened immune systems, and can even harm the ability to bear children,” Anthony Brown said in a statement when the lawsuit was announced last December. “It is unacceptable for any company to knowingly contaminate our drinking water with these toxins, putting Marylanders at risk of severe health conditions.”

Similar suits have brought in billions of dollars in settlement money to other states. DuPont settled for $1.18 billion in 2023 and 3M settled for more than $10 billion the same year.

The Maryland case states that Gore, through its connections to DuPont, knew as early as 1961 that PFAS chemicals were a health risk.

Gore claims that it eliminated PFAS chemicals from its raw materials to create Gore-Tex about a decade ago.

The company hired an environmental consulting firm for Cecil County and provided bottled water and filtration systems for residents.

Still, state officials say PFAS testing levels in the area are above what the EPA considers safe.