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Jury awards $500K to dust-weary residents on Kauai

A federal court jury awarded a total of $507,090 in damages to 15 Wai­mea residents who say they can’t enjoy their homes because of red dust from test fields operated by DuPont Pioneer on Kauai.

After a four-week trial, the seven-member jury reached its verdict Friday: $191,315 for property damage and $315,775 for loss of use and enjoyment of property.

The residents filed lawsuits in 2011 and 2012 against the seed company formerly called Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. in state court on Kauai, claiming the red dust from the company’s Wai­mea Research Center field caused extensive damage to their properties, but both cases were moved to federal court in Hono­lulu. One of the lawsuits named Gay & Robinson and Robinson Family Partners as defendants.

After the verdict, residents’ attorney Patrick Kyle Smith said he was elated for his clients. “We hope it makes things better in Wai­mea,” said Smith outside the courtroom.

DuPont Pioneer’s attorney, Clem­ent Glynn, declined to comment on the verdict. But in an emailed statement, DuPont Pioneer spokes­woman Laurie Yoshida said company officials are disappointed in the verdict and will evaluate their options in the coming days.

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