Cooper concerned about Chemours plan to import waste to NC

Gov. Cooper sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan Tuesday strongly urging EPA to reverse the decision to allow the import of waste material containing GenX to the Chemours Fayetteville Works facility.
Posted 11/8/2023, 10:52:31 PM Updated 11/9/2023, 1:58:07 PM

>> NUMBER ONE, SOURCE FOR LOCAL

NEWS. THIS IS WRAL.

>> NEW TONIGHT, FEDERAL

REGULATORS ARE REEXAMINING NOW

THE DECISION THAT ALLOWED

MOORE'S TO IMPORT WASTE

CONTAINING FOREVER CHEMICALS

INTO OUR STATE. THANKS FOR

JOINING US. I'M DAN HAGGERTY

AND I'M LENA TILLETT. SO LAST

WEEK WE TOLD YOU THE COMPANY

WAS IMPORTING THIS CHEMICAL

WASTE FROM THE NETHERLANDS.

WRAL'S CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTER

LIZ MCLAUGHLIN EXPLAINS.

>> THE RISING CONCERNS FROM

COMMUNITIES ALREADY DEALING

WITH DRINKING WATER

CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY THIS

COMPANY.

>> THE EPA HAS ASKED THE

MOORE'S TO PA SHIPMENTS OF

FOREIGN WASTE CONTAINING

FOREVER CHEMICALS IN RESPONSE

TO CONCERNS FROM THE STATE OF

NORTH CAROLINA IN BRUNSWICK

COUNTY. GOVERNOR ROY COOPER

WROTE A LETTER TO THE EPA

TUESDAY EXPRESSING DISMAY OVER

THE INITIAL DECISION SAYING THE

APPROVAL SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED

AND REVERSED IN OCTOBER.

EPA APPROVED MOORE'S REQUEST TO

SHIP UP TO 4.4 MILLION POUNDS

OF FOREIGN WASTE CONTAINING GEN

X FROM THE COMPANY'S

NETHERLANDS FACILITY TO ITS

FAYETTEVILLE WORKS FACILITY

COME OR SPOKESPERSON SAID THE

COMPANY INTENDS TO RECYCLE AND

REUSE THE GEN X, BUT IT'S

UNCLEAR IF THE SHIPMENTS COULD

INCREASE CONTAMINATION IN

SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN

RECENT YEARS, THE STATE HAS

BEEN GRAPPLING WITH GEN X AND

OTHER FOREVER CHEMICALS FROM

THE FAYETTEVILLE WORKS FACILITY

FOUND IN 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF

WELLS AND THE CAPE FEAR

DRINKING WATER SUPPLY EXPOSURE

TO FOREVER. CHEMICALS HAS BEEN

LINKED TO ADVERSE HEALTH RISKS,

INCLUDING CANCER. AN EPA

OFFICIAL SAID ITS APPROVAL OF

PROPOSED SHIPMENTS OF GEN X

WASTE WAS BASED ON INFORMATION

PROVIDED BY COME. MOORE'S

SAYING IN A STATEMENT IN PART,

WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN

CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE

NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AS WELL

AS MAINTAIN A CONSTRUCTIVE

DIALOGUE WITH THE COMPANY TO

PROTECT NEARBY COMMUNITIES FROM

ANY POTENTIAL EXPOSURE. DEQ

SAID EPA DID NOT INFORM THE

STATE AGENCY OF ITS INITIAL

APPROVAL OF THE SHIPMENTS.

>> ALL RIGHT, LIZ, THANKS SO

MUCH. NOW, ACCORDING TO COME,

MORE SNOW SHIPMENTS HAVE TAKEN

PLACE THIS YEAR AND NONE ARE

CURRENTLY EN ROUTE TO NORTH

CAROLINA WRAL'S DOCUMENTARY

TEAM PRODUCED A SPECIAL ABOUT

FOREVER CHEMICALS AND HOW THEY

ACTUALLY GET INTO YOUR TAP

WATER. YOU CAN WATCH IT ON

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