Thursday, June 19, 2025

Experts decry EPA’s plan to weaken PFAS regulations amidst ongoing concerns

A community meeting on PFAS, featuring a four-person expert panel from organizations like Clean Cape Fear, N.C. State, North Carolina Health and Human Services, and the North Carolina Conservation Network was underscored Wednesday by a release from the Environmental Protection Agency intending to rescind regulations. (Charlie Fossen)

BRUNSWICK COUNTY — A community meeting on PFAS, featuring a four-person expert panel from organizations like Clean Cape Fear, N.C. State, North Carolina Health and Human Services, and the North Carolina Conservation Network was underscored Wednesday by a release from the Environmental Protection Agency intending to rescind regulations. 

READ MORE:  Brunswick County criticized for missing water grant deadline

ALSO: Environmentalist groups file motion to disclose Chemours’ documents

On May 14, the EPA declared its intent to rescind and reevaluate regulations on certain PFAS including PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and GenX — all of which have been found in the Cape Fear River since 2017. In the announcement, the EPA also said it would extend utility companies’  timeline to meet maximum containment level (MCL) PFAS/PFOS from 2029 to 2031, meaning water utilities have two additional years to lower the levels of these specific compounds. 

The announcement is a change in direction from when the Biden Administration had previously finalized the first-ever national drinking water standards for PFAS in April of 2024. The 2024 decision set legally enforceable limits to ensure PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS and GenX chemicals were regulated and removed from public water supplies.

As a result of the Trump administration’s review of these rules, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency will uphold the current National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for only PFOA and PFOS, which set limits for these chemicals in drinking water nationwide. The limits are the same as proposed in 2024 at 4 ppt. 

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water,” Zeldin said in the release. “This will support water systems across the country, including small systems in rural communities, as they work to address these contaminants.”

While the direct manufacturing of PFOA and PFOS was phased out in the U.S. in the mid 2000’s, they are still present in the environment due to their persistence as “forever chemicals.” Other PFAS, including GenX, are still being manufactured today in North Carolina by Chemours in Fayetteville and continue to be found in the Cape Fear River.

The EPA press office indicated the agency has yet to determine a timeline for when regulations on PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and GenX would be rescinded or revaluated. The EPA did not answer PCD upon asking why these specific PFAS were targeted.

Panelist Stephanie Schweickert, director of environmental health campaigns for North Carolina Conservation Network, was at the Clean Cape Fear community meeting held May 14 in Oak Island. She said the EPA removing certain PFAS regulations could be in violation of the law.

“I do want to say not to lose hope, because our view is the EPA’s move was illegal and that it won’t stand,” Schweickert said. “The standards set were based on good science and we think they will hold up.” 

The EPA has the authority to regulate PFAS in public drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974.Schweickert said legal challenges could be made in regards to the legislation’s “anti-rollback” provision, which aims to prevent the weakening of existing drinking water standards, ensuring that any revisions maintain or enhance the protection of public health.

“This current administration promised voters it would ‘Make America Healthy Again’ but rescinding part of the PFAS drinking water standards does no such thing,” Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear said. “It’s disrespectful to PFAS contaminated communities who have suffered debilitating illnesses and devastating losses. This is a clear victory for the trillion-dollar chemical industry — not public health.”

While the EPA signals a potential retreat from stricter PFAS regulations, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority has moved in the opposite direction, implementing proactive measures to ensure compliance with federal standards.

In October of 2022, CFPUA installed granular activated carbon filters at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant which supplies about 80% of the water for New Hanover County. GAC filters are highly effective at removing PFAS like GenX to at or near undetectable levels. According to latest testing results from the CFPUA, GenX in treated water has remained in compliance below 10 ppt since August of 2022. 

Clean Cape Fear co-founder Emily Donovan said at Wednesday’s meeting an invitation to attend had been extended to Brunswick County Public Utilities, which they declined. According to previous PCD reporting, Brunswick County has faced criticism for their approach to PFAS contamination in drinking water, particularly on their slow pace to implement effective water treatment technology. 

BCPU is in the process of expanding their Northwest Water Treatment Plant to include a reverse osmosis treatment facility, which will filter pollutants like PFAS out of the water. The $168 million project has faced multiple delays pushing the completion date until June 2025. 

Southport residents like Bob Fulton aren’t confident the reverse osmosis treatment facility will guarantee clean water for all Brunswick residents.

“It should solve most of the problem of taking certain contaminants out of our water,” Fulton said at the meeting. “That’s going to serve all of Brunswick County except for those who are served by the Highway 211 Plant.”

A map on the BCPU webpage shows residents living in St. James, Southport and Oak Island will receive a mix of water from the Northwest Water Treatment Plant and the Highway 211 Plant, which sources water from untreated underground wells. PCD reached out to BCPU on how it is ensuring all Brunswick residents receive clean water, particularly those served by the Highway 211 Plant, and for its reaction to the EPA’s release — an answer was not received by press. 

A catalyst for regulation, researchers from N.C. State University have been studying GenX and PFAS in human blood in the Cape Fear region since 2017. Led by Dr. Jane Hoppin, findings include Chemours-specific PFAS, elevated levels of legacy PFAS, and a potential link to high cholesterol. Hoppin stated while the EPA’s plan to weaken regulations might not directly impact their research, it does pose a threat to the health of people living in the Cape Fear region.

“These rules were promulgated based on the best science at the time and that hasn’t changed since October,” Hoppin said. “These standards were set to be health protective, so removing these standards would fail to protect the over 150 million US residents who are exposed to PFAS over these limits in their drinking water.”

Panelist Dr. Virginia Guidry, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services branch head of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, informed the crowd at Wednesday’s meeting of various PFAS health concerns, including:

  • Changes to liver enzymes
  • Decreased vaccine response in children
  • High blood pressure and preeclampsia in pregnant women
  • Decreased infant birth weight
  • Increased risk of kidney, testicular, breast, and other cancers

Jeffrey Enders, senior research scholar at N.C. State and panelist, revealed findings showing high concentrations of PFAS in sea foam, as previously detailed by PCD. He explained chemical companies can change their chemical compounds after knowing researchers like him are looking for those specific compounds in the water.

“Keep in mind these are the only PFAS that we know to test for,” Enders said. “A lot of times, and we’ve seen this happen with GenX, what happens is when the chemical companies find out that we’re detecting the PFAS they put in the waterways, they change the chemistry to a different molecule. If we don’t know that they’ve done that, we’re not looking at the right thing.” 

Enders likened the situation with chemical companies to the illegal drug manufacturing industry suggesting the EPA classify certain chemical compounds as if they were illegal drugs. 

“They would just change the chemistry and they wouldn’t be illegal anymore. So what the DEA ended up having to do was class level distinction. You make anything that has this grouping of molecules, anything that’s in this class of molecules is illegal to make.”

Schweickert highlighted bills currently in the North Carolina General Assembly to regulate PFAS in the state. House Bill 569 – the PFAS and Polluter Liability bill, and H.B. 570 — the Responsible Firefighting Foam Management Act, both sponsored by New Hanover Rep. Ted Davis. Davis has introduced similar legislation in the past, but efforts were unsuccessful. The bills passed the House and now sit in the Senate committee on rules and operations.

“I’m pretty optimistic that we’ll get something,” Schweickert stated. “I think we need the community to weigh in strongly with their decision-makers to make sure they stay on top of this and if they pass the strongest package.”


Have tips or suggestions for Charlie Fossen? Email charlie@localdailymedia.com

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