People will soon have their chance to weigh in on new proposed rules targeting "forever chemicals" in North Carolina’s water. The Environmental Management Commission is launching a public comment period starting March sixteenth focused on monitoring three types of PFAS in wastewater.
Three public hearings are scheduled for April in Asheville, Raleigh, and Wilmington to gather feedback from residents and local leaders.
Under the current proposal, certain industrial sites and treatment plants would have to track their chemical discharges and develop plans to minimize them.
While state officials say this is a critical step forward, some environmental groups are already raising concerns that the rules don't go far enough because they lack strict, enforceable pollution limits.
Public Hearing Schedule
All hearings begin at 6:00 p.m., with sign-in and speaker registration opening at 5:00 p.m..
- April 7, 2026 (Asheville): Ferguson Auditorium, AB-Tech Community College, 19 Tech Drive.
- April 20, 2026 (Raleigh): Archdale Building, Ground Floor Hearing Room, 512 N. Salisbury Street.
- April 23, 2026 (Wilmington): Wilmington City Hall at Skyline Center, 929 North Front Street.
Proposed Rule Details
- Monitoring Requirements: The rules would require certain industrial facilities and publicly owned treatment plants to monitor discharges for the three specified PFAS compounds.
- Minimization Plans: Impacted industrial dischargers would be required to develop plans to identify and reduce these chemicals at the source.
- Controversy: Environmental advocates have criticized the proposals, arguing they lack enforceable numeric limits and essentially create a "self-policing" or "voluntary" system for polluters.
