NCLCV Requests Official Response from Multiple NCCC Cornerstone Members (Including Healthcare Companies) on the Delay of PFAS Regulations
Today the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) sent letters to the cornerstone members of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce (NCCC) expressing concern about the Chamber’s efforts “to delay any action” on regulating surface water and groundwater PFAS levels. The Chamber has stated that it speaks on behalf of the statewide business community in lobbying against clean drinking water protections. NCLCV asks for the immediate, transparent response of these members due to the significant health risk posed to North Carolinians.
The Chamber claimed to represent all its members when they urged the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to delay these standards. While NCDEQ continues its efforts to protect clean drinking waters, the Environmental Management Commission (EMC), charged with approving these rules, has failed to act. The EMC attributed its delays to the financial costs of regulatory compliance for businesses.
Health Effects of Forever Chemicals
The standards proposed by NCDEQ aim to regulate the contaminant 1,4-dioxane and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels— “forever” chemicals that persist in humans’ bloodstreams, creating potential detrimental health risks. These health risks are well established and include, but are not limited to, cancer, infertility, and developmental delays. The Chamber has a number of healthcare-focused members including Atrium Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and WakeMed. Duke Health, another Chamber cornerstone member, has even published research on PFAS exposure’s negative maternal health effects, such as hypertension and altered development.
Breach of Ethical Behavior
In a potential breach of ethical behavior, three of the fifteen EMC commissioners individually hold more than $10,000 in stocks in companies who have openly lobbied against PFAS protections. NCLCV asserts these stocks create a conflict of interest and disqualify these commissioners from serving the public’s interest, especially given that one stockholder serves as EMC chair.
“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 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.”
Honoring Senator and Representative of the Year
The standards are needed to ensure NC complies with EPA guidelines on PFAS, and the cost of compliance is paid for by the polluters. Without them, the financial burden is shifted to customers as water utilities remove the pollutants downstream.
North Carolinians deserve a government that keeps known carcinogens out of their air and water. They deserve a government that protects their loved ones from polluters and provides good opportunities for business and economic growth for all, not just the rich few. NCLCV calls on EMC to establish these standards as soon as possible and put people over profit.
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