Community members write ‘Postcards Against PFAS’

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Cape Fear River Watch, in partnership with the Cape Fear Sierra Club, hosted their second “Postcards Against PFAS” event on Monday night.

Organizers said the event was created last year to urge NC Senator Michael Lee to fight for the 2025 Water Safety Act, which he introduced.

The bill would direct the NC Department of Environmental Quality to establish limits of PFAS emissions and reimburse public utilities that have to filter out the compounds.

Cape Fear River Keeper Kemp Burdette said events like this show the human element to raising awareness in the NC General Assembly.

“This is incredibly important for North Carolina,” Burdette said. “We’ve been failed at the federal level. We’ve been failed by the EMC, and we need Senator Lee to lead on this issue. We need Senator Lee to get this bill passed as written.”

Adam Spinelli is a Wilmington resident who participated in the event.

“When you live in a place that doesn’t have great drinking water, it really gives us pause on if it’s a place that we can stay long term and help get involved with our community, even whether or not we want to stick around to expose a future child,” Spinelli said.

Senator Michael Lee responded and said, “I continue to advocate for the 2025 Water Safety Act, including trying to secure substantial funding in the budget for it.”