North Carolina lawmakers are proposing new research into “forever chemicals” in the new state budget. But the project bypasses state regulators in favor of authorities under the control of the Legislature, a dead-end tactic that critics argue.
The budget announced Tuesday allocates a total of $22 million to the North Carolina Cooperative Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill for research related to PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as “forever chemicals.” They are not easily broken down and are associated with health risks such as cancer.
The budget would also classify employees of cooperating agencies as legislative employees, exempting them from public records requests. Established by the General Assembly in 2016, this cooperative agency relies on direct funding from Congress to operate.
Previously, such analyzes were conducted by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and the results were kept as a public record. But this new research will be classified unless legislative leaders choose to release its results to the public.
Blair Rose, a spokeswoman for the cooperative organization, told NC Newsline that the “legislative employee” provision in the budget also applies to employees of the UNC School of Government. Support for training and general meetings.
“North Carolina cooperating agencies play a similar role in supporting the Legislature with research and technical expertise,” Rose said in his message. “Therefore, this provision treats cooperating agencies as well.”
Jean Tsang, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, said the designation helps keep the cooperating agencies’ activities out of the public eye.
“This is a deliberate delay and cover-up strategy that gives absolute priority to those who contaminate public health,” she said.
The state already has a wealth of health data on the effects of PFAS, so the new study is duplicative and “unnecessary,” Zhuang said.
“This is a way to make it look like they’re doing something about PFAS, when in fact they’re not holding industrial polluters accountable,” she said.
Zhuang said the money should have gone to the Department of Environmental Quality for personnel and equipment to remediate PFAS contamination in communities already suffering from contamination.
Last week, Carol Olinger, a retired Fayetteville teacher, said: said She is undergoing dialysis due to PFAS water contamination.
“This is serious. It’s in our drinking water,” Olinger said. “What you’re really paying the price for is your grandchildren’s future, and your future as well.”
June, SELC submitted Lawsuit against Robeson County to stop landfills from contaminating drinking water with PFAS.
Lawmakers are also curbing DEQ’s authority to issue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, required under the Clean Water Act, to facilities that directly discharge pollutants into U.S. waters.
Zhuang said the NPDES would authorize the state’s “most powerful tool” to control PFAS pollution from industries across the state and industrial pollution flowing through wastewater treatment plants.
“It is clear that our General Assembly’s purpose here is to slow down the process, delay action to stop PFAS in drinking water sources, and hide critical information from the public, as they seek to tie the hands of authorities acting against this contamination,” she said.
EPA’s ‘strategy’ proposes striking down mandatory PFAS standards
During Wednesday’s House budget debate, Rep. Prissy Harrison (D-Guilford) thanked Republican lawmakers for funding PFAS research, but chided them for their lack of action.
“We have done nothing to pass legislation to limit exposure to these known carcinogens and toxic substances,” Harrison said.
Of the $22 million in spending, $15 million will go toward collaborative research into how PFAS affects firefighters. Their protective equipment and firefighting foam may contain toxic chemicals.
This clause directs Collaborative research institute to investigate PFAS contamination in drinking water wells at firefighters’ homes and former fire stations. A portion of the funding will also support a pilot program by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and North Carolina State University to test deep cleaning of firefighters’ protective gear to reduce exposure to PFAS.
