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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

New Hanover County Commissioners Pass Unanimous Consent Order Resolution

New Hanover County
New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.

New Hanover County Commissioners passed a unanimous Consent Order Resolution – as a companion of the original Consent Order agreement between Chemours and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

The New Hanover County Commissioners believe the original Consent Order does not go far enough. Local officials claim there was a lack of participation in the initial drafting of the Order. Along with CFPUA, the Commissioners find that the Order does not provide a current solution to deal with the unregulated compounds, nor does it address river sediment and groundwater contamination.

New Hanover County Commissioner Chairman, Jonathan Barfield, offers some solutions:

"One of the things we’re asking for is that they encourage Chemours and ask Chemours and enforce Chemours to contribute $46 million to the cost of building a facility that will treat our water for GenX, to filter all those emerging contaminants out, especially GenX that they’ve put into our river; but also to have future monitoring as well and try to figure out how do we monitor for PFAS and PFOA in the future." 

Other recommendations are for Chemours to install under the counter reverse osmosis systems or establish a bottled water distribution center for homes affected by PFAS until the utility can effectively clean the water. Another is to track medical conditions.

Barfield also acknowledges constituent concerns surrounding the Resolution. In response, he says the County’s motivation is to gain more from Chemours and DEQ.

More Information:

New Hanover County Meeting Video,see Item 13

Comments to DEQ on the proposed order will be accepted until Dec. 21. Comments can be submitted electronically to comments.chemours@ncdenr.gov or mailed to Assistant Secretary’s office, RE: Chemours Public Comments 1601 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1601.

A copy of the proposed consent order is available on DEQ’s website at: https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/GenX/Consent-order-11212018.pdf.

More information about the state’s investigation can be found at:  https://deq.nc.gov/news/hot-topics/genx-investigation.