North Carolina’s House unanimously passed House Bill 189 late Wednesday. The bill, titled “Short-Term Response to Emerging Contaminants”, would free up funds to support research and look for solutions to the GenX problem. It now goes to the Senate.
The bill funds additional scientists and a mass spectrometer to better research what compounds are in the water.
The $1,300,000 in nonrecurring funds would go to the Department of Environmental Quality
A large portion will provide the resources for temporary positions and operations support for water quality sampling related to GenX and other emerging contaminants and to address permitting backlogs.
More than $232,000 would go to the Division of Air Quality for sampling and analysis of atmospheric deposition of GenX and other unregulated pollutants.
Some $279,000 would go to the Division of Waste Management for sampling and analysis of the compounds in groundwater wells, soil, and sediment.
New Hanover County Rep. Ted Davis says “The House is doing what DEQ has requested.”
Several opponents of the bill blamed the EPA for the water problems, and defended Chemours and their actions saying they had a permit, and are doing the best they can.