RALEIGH — North Carolina agencies are pressing Chemours to stop dumping all fluorinated compounds and reveal all of the chemicals in its waste stream.
The move by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) follows revelations about Nafion byproducts – chemicals similar to GenX – in a report delivered to state agencies last week by the EPA.
The North Carolina Attorney General’s Office filed a civil court summons in Bladen County Superior Court (you can ready the summons below). The summons, made on behalf of the DEQ, demands that Chemours “stop its discharge of all fluorinated compounds and disclose everything in its waste stream,” according to release from the DEQ. The summons gives Chemours 20 days to respond.
In a letter, the DEQ also notified of its intent to suspend Chemours’ North Carolina permit in 60 days if the conditions of the civil summons are not met (the full letter if below). Technically, Chemours’ permit expired in October of 2016, nearly a year ago. The state has allowed the company to continue operations while reviewing its operations, according to DEQ Secretary Michael Regan.
In a release from CFPUA, spokeswoman Lindsey Hallock, the Authority said, “It is unfortunate that it takes legal action for Chemours to fully disclose what, and how much, it discharges to the Cape Fear River. It is vital that water providers and their customers have access to information about the quality of their source waters. CFPUA is pleased that NCDEQ has taken this affirmative action.”
Summons and Associated Documents – DeQ Versus Chemours by Ben Schachtman on Scribd
NC DEQ notice of intention to suspend Chemours permit by Ben Schachtman on Scribd
