NC Legislature Fails to Address Harmful Chemicals in 2024 and 2025

In the U.S., it would be hard to find a person who has not consumed cancer-causing chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or “PFAS.” Yet, the North Carolina General Assembly once again failed to regulate PFAS despite bipartisan support and clear scientific evidence of their dangerous prevalence in our environment. Their neglect has real-life consequences. 

Most Toxic Types of PFAS Found in Elementary School

While these leaders failed to act, scientists discovered 14 types of PFAS in the drinking water at Farmer Elementary School in Randolph County. Testing showed two of the most toxic types of forever chemicals – PFOS and PFOA – at “144 and 233 times greater than federal limits, respectively.” Elementary school children, faculty, and staff have been drinking poisoned water for decades. Yet the pro-polluters at the legislature failed to act. How many other elementary schools’ water sources are contaminated with PFAS? How many more will it take to finally convince these leaders to act?

The time is long overdue to protect ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren from these harmful chemicals.

Federal Action Taken; State Efforts Hindered

In 2024, the federal government took action and established the first-ever national drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful PFAS. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates their actions will reduce PFAS pollution for 100 million people across the nation, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses. 

Yet the pro-polluting majority and their appointees at the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) moved in the opposite direction in 2024. Caving to the lobbying pressure of polluters, the EMC stalled PFAS limits in groundwater and surface water. The EMC alleged costs to the companies to install filtration systems could be too much. But the intended purpose of this commission is not to protect companies’ profits, especially when those companies knowingly pollute our environment. Its purpose is to protect our water, our air, and our people. This is particularly concerning because many of these EMC members own stocks in these polluting companies. Instead of padding their own pockets, these members should be serving and protecting hard-working families and communities. 

Actions in 2024

Environmentally conscious legislators tried to pass laws to address the issue. Representative Deb Butler successfully included an amendment (80-29) to the House’s version of the budget, which could have directed $2.1 million to support the prevention, removal, and study of these forever chemicals. Unfortunately, the pro-polluter majority in the Senate removed this amendment in the final budget. Similarly, Representative John Autry proposed Amendment 11 to S.B. 607 – known as the “Regulatory Reform Act of 2024” – which could have banned “the manufacture and sale of covered products containing intentionally added PFAS.”

Even Republican legislators tried to move legislation through committees, but the pro-polluter leadership decided once again to turn a blind eye to the families struggling with the health effects from these chemicals. This leadership has proven again and again that, as long as they lead the General Assembly, efforts to address PFAS will continue to fail.

Actions in 2025

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) developed an “Action Strategy for PFAS” in order to largely reduce the impacts of PFAS all over the state. This plan specifically addresses the Chemours Fayetteville Works Facility, which produces PFAS. Over 500,000 North Carolinians have been exposed to PFAS from this watershed alone. 

This year, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit against Chemours. Chemours has over 20,000 pages of documentation that show various forms of PFAS testing and samples that they are refusing to release to the public for fear of scrutiny and further lawsuits. This paperwork would expose their prior knowledge and neglect of releasing PFAS into the watershed. The NC DEQ has ordered Chemours to expand its sampling radius of private wells. However, Chemours has also decided to expand their plant, which would only exacerbate the issue. Instead of working to reduce their overall PFAS use, Chemours has gone against federal and state regulations, putting North Carolinians continually at risk of PFAS exposure. 

Unsubstantial Changes in 2025

Legislatively, actions around PFAS made little progress. Lawmakers passed HB 569 allowing the NC DEQ to obligate the responsible party to pay the public water system for any and all damages to the water supply. It also appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund to the NC DEQ for implementation. Additionally, lawmakers passed HB 570 (Responsible Firefighting Foam Act) regulating that firefighting foam containing PFAS no longer be used in firefighting training or testing. While these bills are good for staunching the use of PFAS, much larger steps must be taken to actually hold polluters responsible. 

Instead of regulating polluting companies, HB 569 and HB 570 appease those looking for PFAS legislation without actually making any substantive laws. Notably, the Senate has not made any serious PFAS legislation. We call upon the legislature to institute laws that hold companies accountable for their pollution and prohibit and remediate PFAS pollution in residents’ drinking water.

Know the Score: See the Full Scorecard

To see how your legislators scored, and to learn more about the 2025 bills and votes, see the full 2024-2025 Scorecard.