Vindication came, but the struggle devastated Woburn and left Schlichtmann bankrupt. In Toms River, folks are hoping for the positive results, but without the acrimony. Nobody wants to drive jobs out of town. Most people don't want to leave. We must clean them up immediately.
Cooperation is the sanest, fastest way.
Schlichtmann's gentler approach worked in Groton, another small Massachusetts town, where residents said their drinking water contained the same industrial solvents found in Woburn. Woburn the defining moment in his life. He still faces a creditor's lawsuit from his bankruptcy. Yet he believes the suit ultimately made him stronger. The greatest victories are those that can be shared with everyone.