PORT ANGELES — Both Clallam County and Port Angeles are participating in the national $1.2 billion Kroger Opioid Settlement for state and local governments.
“Pretty much, in every way, this settlement will be the same or similar to other settlements,” said Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Dee Boughton during a Clallam County commissioners regular meeting.
Washington State will get around $48 million from this settlement. About 50 percent will go to the state, and 50 percent will be distributed to local governments that opt in, according to Boughton.
Washington State is one of 33 states eligible to participate in the settlement, according to reporting by AP News.
Port Angeles will receive around $109,300 if all the state’s cities and counties participate, according to a city council memo from Chief of Police Brian Smith, Fire Chief Derrell Sharp and City Attorney William Bloor.
The city will use those funds to support Operation Shielding Hope, according to the memo.
This program is administered by the Port Angeles police and fire departments and was designed to address the opioid epidemic and its impact on emergency services.
Clallam County also joined the Kroger settlement, although Boughton wasn’t sure how much the county would receive.
Commissioner Randy Johnson said during the commissioners meeting that the county usually receives 1 percent of these settlements. He estimates the county would receive around $240,000.
Commissioner Mike French said the county has entered into a few similar settlements.
Previously, they have spent divided similar settlement money between the Harm Reduction Health Center and the county jail’s opioid use disorder treatment program in.
“We have not decided how to spend future settlements of opioid settlement fundings,” French said.
One option being discussed is using the funding to help individuals recovering from opioids get into the workforce, French said, although no decision has been made.
Kroger’s pending deal that would divest from at least one QFC located in Clallam County “should not impact the terms of this settlement agreement,” said Boughton.
Payments for this settlement will be completed over 11 years, growing larger as the years go on, according to Boughton.
Boughton said the first payment would be in March of next year.
To participate, Washington’s cities and counties must join the settlement by Aug. 12.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
