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Jeff Jackson Releases Clean Water Plan to Address PFAS, GenX in Cape Fear River
Four point plan calls for a federal standard for contaminants, making polluters pay
Charlotte – Today, candidate for U.S. Senate Jeff Jackson rolled out a Clean Water Plan to address PFAS contaminants – such as GenX – in the Cape Fear River. PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are long-lasting industrial contaminants found in everyday products such as Teflon, cosmetics, firefighting foam, and textiles. These chemicals have been linked to severe adverse health effects.
North Carolina has the third-highest rates of PFAS exposure in the country. The drinking water for at least 200,000 people along the Cape Fear River is polluted with PFAS that the Chemours plant discharged into the river for years. In 2020, Brunswick County had the most PFAS contamination of 44 sites tested across 31 states. New Hanover County was in the top five.
Jackson has already held more than 50 town halls across the state to hear directly from North Carolinians about the issues impacting their lives and communities. In New Hanover County, the first question was about water quality in the Cape Fear River. And in Chatham County – which is 150 miles away from New Hanover, but also on the Cape Fear – it was the first question again.
In his plan, Jackson lays out four priorities to address PFAS contamination and remediation:
- Develop a federal standard for maximum contaminant levels for PFAS in our drinking water.
- Determine where we need to invest in upgrading filtration systems for entire water systems.
- Ensure that financial responsibility rests with the polluters.
- Put a stop to any ongoing discharge of PFAS.
“Everyone deserves clean drinking water,” said Sen. Jeff Jackson. “What we’re hearing at town halls near the Cape Fear River is that this is a major concern. Our plan lays out a clear, actionable path to get this done.”
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