R.I. Responds to Lead Paint Makers’ Appeal of Clean Up Verdict

Lawyers for the state are asking Rhode Island’s Supreme Court to uphold a two-year-old jury verdict against three former lead paint manufacturers.

The state was expected to file court papers this week in response to the companies’ appeal of the verdict, which could force them to spend billions of dollars to clean up hundreds of thousands of contaminated homes.

The companies say the state failed to prove that their products were responsible for poisoning children or contaminating homes. They also say the judge allowed the state to introduce inflammatory evidence.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on May 15.

Meanwhile, two public health experts are evaluating the state’s proposed $2.4 billion cleanup of older properties.