Public Finally has the Chance to Speak Up on PFAS Pollution
RALEIGH, NC — After months of internal struggle among policymakers, business leaders and environmental experts, the public can finally have its say on the future of PFAS pollution in North Carolina’s groundwater.
“The chance to publicly comment on regulating PFAS pollution in the state’s groundwater has been a long time coming for North Carolinians,” said Cori Bell, Senior Attorney for Environmental Health at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “New standards on groundwater pollution could prevent 9,000 cancer-related deaths. Residents have waited long enough and shouldn’t be forced to take matters into their own hands to hold corporate polluters accountable.”
Since at least November 2023, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has presented information on groundwater standards for PFAS pollution to the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC). Concurrently, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) was working on federal standards for PFAS in drinking water, which were finalized in April. Despite the EPA’s new federal requirements, the North Carolina EMC continued to delay issuing state groundwater standards, feeling pressure from the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
The public comment period opportunity was announced after a North Carolina family petitioned DEQ in July to set interim groundwater rules for eight PFAS compounds. In August, clean water advocates petitioned the EPA to revoke North Carolina’s water permitting authority, citing inaction by state regulators.
“It has taken decades and countless hours of work from clean water advocates to bring this PFAS public health crisis to light,” said Haw Riverkeeper Emily Sutton. “We’ve long understood the threat that PFAS poses to our waterways and our communities. It is important for state leaders to listen to the public and take action to protect our drinking water.”
BACKGROUND:
Chemical manufacturer DuPont had been dumping “forever chemicals,” produced at its Cumberland County facility, into the Cape Fear River for over 40 years before it was discovered in 2017. Since then, high levels of PFAS pollution have been found in water systems and wells across the state affecting more than 3.5 million people.
The EPA issued new federal drinking water standards in April for PFAS, and local water utilities are installing filtration systems to reduce the flow of pollution. However, it is up to state regulators to enact standards on groundwater PFAS pollution which would protect water quality in private wells and public groundwater sources. The EMC has delayed taking this action so citizens have petitioned North Carolina’s DEQ to act. The Agency is accepting public comments through October 4.
Timeline:
1976: DuPont begins manufacturing Nafion at its Fayetteville Works plant, releasing PFAS as a byproduct.
1980: DuPont begins manufacturing vinyl ether at its Fayetteville Works plant, releasing PFAS as a byproduct of the coating into the air and waterways.
1999: A West Virginia lawsuit reveals DuPont was aware of the health risks of forever chemicals. The company’s own testing found these chemicals cause testicular, pancreatic and liver cancers.
2013-2014: Testing shows GenX contamination in the Cape Fear River is nine times higher than the EPA’s lifetime health advisory level.
2015: DuPont develops its “performance chemicals” company, Chemours, which continues PFAS manufacturing and pollution at the Fayetteville plant.
June 2017: Wilmington Star News breaks the story on decades of GenX pollution by DuPont and Chemours into the Cape Fear River.
2019: SELC (Southern Environmental Law Center) sends a Notice of Intent to Sue to the City of Burlington for allowing high levels of PFAS to be dumped into the Haw River by its waste water treatment plant.
2019: Following a lawsuit by Cape Fear River Watch (CFRW) and SELC, a consent order is reached between CFRW, Chemours, and DEQ. The company is required to install air and water filtration systems to reduce PFAS emissions.
January 2021: DEQ issues a Notice of Violation to Chemours for violating the Consent Order.
August 2023: SELC reaches an agreement with the City of Burlington to address PFAS waste from its waste water treatment plant.
November 2023: EMC is briefed on elements of DEQ’s proposed groundwater standards for eight PFAS.
February 2024: United Nations cites DuPont and Chemours for business-related human rights abuses.
April 2024: EPA announces new standards on the levels of six forever chemicals permitted in drinking water. DEQ again presents groundwater standards on PFAS pollution to EMC; no action is taken.
July 2024: North Carolina family petitions DEQ to set interim groundwater rules for eight PFAS compounds. DEQ opens public comment period on new PFAS groundwater regulations.
August 2024: SELC, on behalf of clean water advocates, petitions the EPA to revoke North Carolina’s water permitting authority, citing lack of compliance with the Clean Water Act.
Public comments on DEQ’s proposed groundwater pollution standards can be submitted to IMACcomments@deq.nc.gov through October 4 or by signing the petition or letter to regulators.
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law, and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health, and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd). Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.
The Haw River Assembly is a 501(c)(3) non-profit citizens’ group founded in 1982 to restore and protect the Haw River and Jordan Lake, and to build a watershed community that shares this vision. Our goals are to promote environmental education, conservation and pollution prevention; to speak as a voice for the river in the public arena; and to put into peoples’ hands the tools and the knowledge they need to be effective guardians of the river.