Four people who sued J.H. Baxter & Co. over claims of environmental harm have entered into a court-approved settlement to receive a total of $200,000, though it’s unclear if they’ll receive any payout.
The 2021 lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Eugene, alleged a diminished value for properties near J.H. Baxter’s manufacturing facility on Roosevelt Boulevard in west Eugene, among other claims.
For nearly eight decades, the company treated wood products such as utility poles with toxic chemicals designed to help the wood resist decay, but which are known to persist in the environment, contaminating soil and groundwater. In its production process, J.H. Baxter contaminated residential yards, according to environment regulators, who also found the facility boiled off contaminated water, emitting chemicals into the air…