The North Carolina Supreme Court is stepping into a legal battle over environmental contamination. The state’s highest court has agreed to hear Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s lawsuit against chemical giants DuPont and Chemours.
The decision comes nearly five months after the court granted a temporary stay requested by the companies.
At the heart of the case is whether the Attorney General has the legal standing to sue. DuPont and Chemours argue that Jackson lacks the authority to pursue a lawsuit beyond a previous enforcement action filed by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
State attorneys, however, are seeking to hold the companies accountable for the widespread presence of "forever chemicals" in the state’s waterways and soil. The Supreme Court’s eventual ruling will determine if the state can seek broader damages for the environmental impact.
