Updated July 17: The state extended the public comment period to Aug. 17 on Chemours permit to keep PFAS out of Cape Fear River.
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The public can provide comment by Aug. 10 on a draft discharge permit for a water treatment system at the Chemours Fayetteville Works site to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, contamination.
Under the consent order signed February 2019 by Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan, Chemours is required to reduce PFAS by 99% in the groundwater flowing from the site through Old Outfall 002 into the Cape Fear River and downstream intakes.
Chemours requested the new permit for the discharge of treated groundwater, stormwater and surface water from a stream on the southern portion of its property in order to reduce PFAS loading to the Cape Fear River and comply with the consent order, according to the permit fact sheet.
Since 2017, Chemours has been prohibited from discharging process wastewater into the Cape Fear River.
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The treatment system is to be in place by Sept. 30, per the consent order, to treat groundwater currently discharging without treatment into the river, and it is not designed for process wastewater from the facility.
Comments on the draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit may be submitted via email to publiccomments@ncdenr.gov, with “Chemours” in the subject line, or by mail to Wastewater Permitting, Attn: Chemours Permit, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617.
