CFPUA Board chair June 20 morning GenX update

Mike Brown, CFPUA Board chairman, will provide two daily updates—one morning and one afternoon—with information on activity surrounding GenX. Updates will be provided each weekday. Below please find Chairman Mike Brown’s morning update regarding CFPUA’s involvement in water sampling, public records requests to DEQ and EPA, and request to area utilities to join CFPUA in action.

1. CFPUA is working with DEQ and the EPA to pull additional water samples from the Cape Fear River and several other water sources to ensure the most accurate and thorough testing possible. We have confirmation that testing began yesterday evening, and will provide updates as we have them.

2. Yesterday, the CFPUA Board submitted two public records requests—one to EPA and one to DEQ—asking for all records related to GenX, including the items listed below (please refer to each individual request for a full list of items requested):
   • Requests of DEQ:
     1. Immediately modify the Chemours permit to require daily sampling and testing of Chemours waste streams;
     2. DEQ and DHHS determine whether the concentrations of GenX are protective of human health, taking into account all relevant factors, including toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation; and
     3. DEQ immediately modify the permit to prevent any discharge of GenX until (a) and (b) are complete.
   • Requests of EPA:
     1. If Chemours has continuously captured and destroyed 99 percent of GenX from its wastewater streams;
     2. If Chemours has established the necessary processes and procedures at the Fayetteville Works to ensure that 99 percent of GenX is being and will be captured and destroyed from the wastewater streams.
   • Additional EPA requests:
     • Immediately review Chemours studies it has received and review sampling of which the EPA is aware to determine whether the discharges are protective of human health and to immediately modify directives regarding Chemours to prevent florochemical compound discharge into the Cape Fear River until the determination is made by EPA.

3. In a separate letter, also sent yesterday, CFPUA environmental counsel sent a set of requests for DEQ Secretary Michael Regan for immediate DEQ action, including:
   • An extensive sampling and analysis program to detect and determine concentrations of GenX in the Cape Fear River;
   • Stricter conditions or denial of the Chemours permit; and
   • A public health determination from DHHS regarding whether or not the Chemours discharge into the Cape Fear River poses an “adverse effect on the public health.”

4. CFPUA Board Chairman Mike Brown presented an update on all current CFPUA actions related to GenX to the New Hanover County Commission. Brown encouraged the commission to support the CFPUA Board resolutions passed on Friday, June 16.

5. CFPUA Board Chairman Mike Brown also called upon surrounding utilities to support the CFPUA Board resolutions (resolution 1, resolution 2), or pass similar resolutions, requesting immediate action from Chemours, DEQ and EPA. Recipients of the letter include Brunswick County Commission Chair Frank Williams, Wrightsville Beach Mayor Bill Blair, Pender County Commission Chair George Brown, and Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority Public Citizen Representative Norwood Blanchard.

CFPUA encourages the public to check our website and social media channels for updates as this continues to unfold. We are committed to transparency, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with you through the duration of this process.