Related — SELC, Cape Fear River Watch tell Chemours they’re suing over GenX
“A group that monitors the Cape Fear River wants the state to make a Bladen County plant stop releasing a potentially cancer-causing chemical.
The Southern Environmental Law Center said in a statement released Monday that it was making the request on behalf of Cape Fear River Watch. The statement said the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality has the authority to require Chemours to immediately stop all emissions and discharges of GenX and chemically-related compounds.
The center also gave notice to Chemours that it intends to sue the company for violations of the Clean Water Act and Toxic Substances Control Act, the statement said…
Carter said state officials can take action against Chemours if state officials think the company’s actions are an “imminent threat” to public safety.
‘They can do this without even going to court,’ he said. ‘It’s time to do that.’
The center’s request relies in part on DEQ’s lawsuit against Chemours, Carter said. The suit in Bladen County Superior Court says the company ‘has caused significant and widespread groundwater contamination.’ …
Carter said DEQ has been hamstrung by funding issues and had some of its authority gutted by legislation. Meanwhile, more issues with contamination continue to be discovered, he said.
‘It’s a much bigger problem than was originally thought,’ he said.
The center’s request says that DEQ has found 33 compounds similar to GenX in private wells around the Chemours plant.
‘The agencies can’t keep up with the production of these exotic compounds,’ Carter said.”
Read the full article by Steve DeVane