The NC League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) called out the NC Chamber of Commerce for Delaying PFAS Standards

Last week, NCLCV called on “cornerstone” members of the NC Chamber of Commerce for statements of their position on regulating toxic, long-lasting PFAS in North Carolina waters. In particular, we called upon the Chamber’s major health care members, including hospital corporations and health insurance companies, to affirm whether they support the Chamber’s opposition to regulation of PFAS pollution.

The Cost of Delaying PFAS regulations

NCLCV also pointed out potential financial conflicts of interest of three members of the NC Environmental Management Commission (EMC). The NC Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) provided the EMC with recommended PFAS regulations. However, the EMC has failed to act on the DEQ recommendations. Why? Three EMC commissioners report significant stock holdings in companies who have openly lobbied against PFAS regulations.

“The EMC and the NC Chamber have sold the health and safety of North Carolinians for their own financial gain. They have put their own bank accounts above the health and prosperity of everyday North Carolinians,” said Dan Crawford, NCLCV’s director of governmental relations. “We call for official statements from cornerstone (Chamber) members so the people of our state know their true priorities and values. Do they stand for cancer-causing water and profits for polluters or do they stand for the health and safety of North Carolina’s citizens? Like many North Carolinians, we know that to have a thriving, sustainable economy, we need a healthy environment. It is no coincidence that the most environmentally-friendly governor in our state’s history is also the governor that has made NC the number one state for business two years in a row.”

See our full news release here 

PFAS Awareness Week

NCLCV’s announcements came during Gov. Roy Cooper’s declared “PFAS Awareness Week in North Carolina.” “North Carolinians deserve clean water and we must be at the forefront of the fight to contain forever chemicals,” said Cooper. “We are holding polluters accountable, researching solutions, and working hard to protect people’s health.” 

In his news release, Cooper specifically refers to his DEQ’s recommendation for action to regulate PFAS in state waters, and the EMC’s failure to take timely action to protect North Carolinians from these “forever chemicals” in their water supplies.