North Carolina’s top officials are fiercely denouncing a newly proposed multi-state federal settlement with chemical giant Chemours Co., calling the deal an "insult" that sidelines the state despite it being the epicenter of the nation's "forever chemical" crisis.
Governor Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson blasted the Trump administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for shutting North Carolina completely out of negotiations.
The settlement, which is the first federal enforcement action to resolve toxic PFAS claims against a manufacturer, totals an estimated $450 million in penalties and relief. However, state leaders argue the allocation of funds leaves North Carolina holding the short straw.
Related content: Chemours expanding testing for PFAS contamination in private wells in southeastern North Carolina
A One-Sided Deal for "Ground Zero"
While Chemours is expected to pay a $22.5 million civil penalty and spend $90 million over 15 years to mitigate PFAS discharges across West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey, the vast majority of that relief is directed to West Virginia.
If the mitigation funds were divided evenly, North Carolina would see a meager $2 million per year—a sum state leaders say is wildly inadequate for the scale of the damage.
Since the 1970s, Chemours and its predecessor, DuPont, have discharged toxic PFAS and GenX chemicals into the Cape Fear River, contaminating the primary drinking water source for more than half a million North Carolinians.
Adding insult to injury, the terms of the deal grant Chemours the sole authority to choose which mitigation projects it funds, completely bypassing input from state environmental regulators.
Related content: NCDEQ extends PFAS well testing to areas across six counties near Chemours plant
The Broader Federal Settlement
From a federal perspective, the EPA's agreement represents a landmark enforcement action. The total $450 million estimated cost to Chemours includes:
- A $22.5 million federal civil penalty.
- $90 million in direct mitigation over 15 years.
- Mandated installation of advanced PFAS pollution controls at manufacturing facilities.
- Commitments to provide clean drinking water to affected communities.
Related content: EPA asks Chemours to pause shipments of forever chemical waste from Netherlands to NC
The Fight Continues
Despite the federal government's attempt to close the book on the enforcement claims, North Carolina leadership is signaling that the legal battle is far from over. Governor Stein vowed that the state will continue to use every available avenue to fight the proposed terms and hold the chemical manufacturer fully accountable for the decades of environmental degradation.
