Read the full story in the Times-Union.
Two years ago, a dozen or so Adirondack homeowners prepared to sue the state of New York for polluting their drinking water.
They had evidence that road salt dumped by the state Department of Transportation was flowing into their wells, making their water unsafe to drink and reducing their property values.
Their lawsuit never got off the ground. In New York, residents who want to take the state to court often have just 90 days to file a lawsuit. At least some of the afflicted homeowners had learned of their problems years earlier.
Even for homeowners with still undrinkable water, New York’s strict time limits make it nearly impossible to challenge the state in court, the Adirondack Explorer found. Such rigid filing deadlines undermined the residents’ case and have insulated the state in other cases where the DOT has said it is likely polluting water supplies with road salt.
