Butte-Silver Bow is the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit filed last week in a Montana federal court. The suit alleges chemical manufactures withheld information that toxic ‘forever chemicals’ — known as PFAS — were present in protective suits firefighters wear when responding to emergencies.

Matt Enrooth is Butte’s county attorney. He told commissioners last week the county has hundreds of thousands of dollars of contaminated gear. Emrooth said the aim of the lawsuit is to provide funds for replacement.

“We’re talking about a substantial amount of money that would not have to come out of the fire director’s budget.”

Butte is the first plaintiff to join the case. Since the lawsuit was filed in federal court, any fire district in the country who bought gear from the defendant companies could join the class action.

In court filings, attorneys representing Butte estimate more than a million firefighters nationwide could be affected, with replacement costs topping a billion dollars.