The Commission Entrusted In Protecting Environment Hinders Environmental Action

The NC Environmental Management Commission (EMC) has been dithering on a key set of rules needed to protect public drinking water supplies from contamination by toxic and long-lived chemical compounds known as PFAS. 

The dithering began in May, after new EMC members appointed by pro-polluter legislative leadership signaled that they would refuse to advance PFAS standards prepared by Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff at the direction of the previous EMC membership. Governor Roy Cooper pushed back hard against that unjustified shift, and NCLCV called out those responsible for it. 

Continued Inaction

This month, the EMC had an opportunity to redeem itself and move the needed new PFAS standards forward to the formal public hearing and comment process. Instead, it failed again. The relevant EMC subcommittees voted to recommend sending forward only three of the eight needed standards—and the full EMC won’t take up even that action for consideration until its September meeting.

The reactions by other EMC members and members of the concerned public were scathing. Details are noted in the Coastal Review article and in coverage by NC Health News. 

The debate serves as a reminder of the high stakes for public health in who we elect to the offices of Governor, Attorney General, and state legislature in this fall’s elections.