SB 577 — DID NOT CROSS Coordinated PFAS Remediation Act

This bill would  centralize all governmental PFAS litigation in Georgia under the state. Beginning July 1, 2026, any claim by a city, county, or other local government seeking damages or recovery for PFAS contamination of public waters, drinking water systems, wastewater systems, stormwater systems, public lands, or facilities must be brought exclusively by the Environmental Protection Division (EPD). Local governments would be prohibited from filing new PFAS lawsuits, and any pending municipal cases would be automatically paused, with the state given 180 days to substitute itself into the litigation; if it does not, the local claim would be dismissed without prejudice. The Attorney General would represent the state in these cases and would be allowed to hire outside counsel, while local governments would be required to cooperate and participate in discovery as needed.

Any settlement or judgment proceeds recovered by the state would be directed to the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), which must first cover litigation expenses and then deposit remaining funds into a dedicated revolving or drinking water fund to support PFAS remediation statewide. Rather than municipalities negotiating and retaining their own settlements, funds would be pooled and administered at the state level, with annual reporting to state leadership on receipts and disbursements. The overall effect would be to remove independent municipal authority to pursue PFAS claims and replace it with a coordinated, state-controlled litigation and funding structure.