Dive Brief:

• Four households in Bozeman, Montana have sent a notice of claim to the city, county and state claiming that gases leaking from a shuttered municipal landfill have caused the seven residents to suffer financially, emotionally and physically.
• The homeowners are seeking millions of dollars in damages, to the tune of $3 million per household. 
• The letter alleges that the city was aware of the volatile organic compounds at the landfill. Biannual groundwater testing has been conducted since 1981.

Dive Insight:

The Bozeman landfill was in operation from 1970 to 2008. The City Manager of Bozeman said the city has taken responsibility for the issue, and is planning to install mitigation systems in the homes, while continuing testing. The city, county and state have 120 days to respond to the letter.