Former Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson sees important opportunities and challenges in terms of public health and environmental protection in his new role as Department of Environmental Quality secretary in the Stein administration.
PFAS
EPA adds 9 more PFAS to chemical reporting requirements
Nine additional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been added to the EPA’s annual Toxics Release Inventory reporting requirements.
Commission to mull groundwater rules for 4 substances
The Environmental Management Commission will hear the Division of Water Resources director’s recommendation for standards to replace the interim maximum allowable concentrations for three herbicides and a fungicide.
Chemist develops purification system that removes PFAS
UNC Charlotte professor Dr. Jordan Poler received a grant aimed at helping make his lab’s water-purification method, which cleans drinking water of toxins including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, available to consumers.
Anger at commission boils over during PFAS rules hearing
Public outrage greeted the state Environmental Management Commission Monday in Wilmington for its latency in adopting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance health standards, for including only three compounds in the proposed standards, and for appeasing the industries that make the chemicals.
Commission sets vote on Tar-Pamlico wastewater hearing
The Environmental Management Commission, when it meets this month, is to consider approving a public notice and hearing on proposed revisions to wastewater-discharge rules put in place to reduce fish kills, harmful algal blooms and other longstanding water quality problems in the Pamlico estuary.
State sets temporary allowable PFAS limits in groundwater
The North Carolina Division of Water Resources released interim maximum allowable concentrations to help define cleanup targets for groundwater contaminated with high levels of the chemical compounds.
Clean Cape Fear founders to urge UN act on PFAS
A Wilmington-area community action group intends to “shine a spotlight on business-related human rights abuses associated with PFAS contamination in North Carolina” this week at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
Van der Vaart: Likely carcinogen does not equal carcinogen
Chief Administrative Law Judge and Director of the Office of Administrative Hearings Dr. Donald van der Vaart revoked permit limits of 1,4-dioxane for municipal wastewater treatment plants that discharge a compound the EPA calls a likely human carcinogen into the drinking water sources of tens of thousands.
Update: PFAS groundwater rule OK’d for public comment
The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission on Thursday unanimously waived the normal 30-day public notice, expediting the rulemaking process covering the compounds classified as likely carcinogens.
Groups petition EPA to revoke NC’s water permit authority
Advocacy groups are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to revoke the state’s authority to regulate water pollution through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program.
Federal court backs EPA’s GenX health advisory
Chemours vows to continue legal challenges against the regulatory agency; and while environmentalists view the ruling as a victory, some legal experts suggest an unpredictable regulatory landscape going forward.
Court dismisses case challenging PFAS health advisory
A federal appeals court this week dismissed Chemours’ petition to review the Environmental Protection Agency’s advisory related to the toxicity of a compound used in the company’s GenX manufacturing.
State awards $50M to water infrastructure projects on coast
Of the $253 million announced for projects across the state, $40 million is going to the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority.
Commission members balk on 5 proposed PFAS standards
Committees of the Environmental Management Commission stalled proposed health standards for most of the eight synthetic compounds put forth, including two the EPA classified as likely carcinogens.
Environmental Management Commission to meet July 10-11
Committee agendas include DEQ’s proposed groundwater and surface water standards for PFAS.
