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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDEQ-CFW_00082702From: Sent: To: CC: Subject lim Jamie Kritzer Co Kritzer, Jamie [/D=[XCHANG[LAB5/OU=EXCHANGEADMINISTRATIVE GROUP (FYD|BOHF2]SPDLT)/CN=REOP|ENTS/CN=C[E9]C49D01445A]B541B8327DCDCD4O-JBKR|TZ[R] 8/2I/I0I73:08:24PW1 Mackey, Chris [/o=[xchangeLabs/ou=ExchangeAdministrative Group (FYD|8OHFZ33PDO)/cn=Redpient$cn=aef8f6bO6bI]4Zc5b282aeO8d2b45Ice'cmackey3] Cu|ton,Cobey[/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=ExchangeAdministrative Group (FYD|8OHFZ33PDO)/cn=Redpient$cn=ceaa9347eO6f49%Ib483ec9784e5Iebc-ccu|ton] RE: Cape Fear GenX N.C.Department ofEnvironmental Quality 919'707'8602 £oa o"IaLas/anda y b e ooR,,�aad' fb��jo,erb`�� 3 From: Mackey, Chris Sent: Monday, August J1,Z0171O:57AM To: Kritzer, Jamie ^jamie.kritzer@ncdenr.gov> Cc: [u|ton,[obeyx[obeyIu|ton@dhhs.nc.8ov^ Subject: FVV: [ape Fear6enX Hey Jamie, Is this what you need, but in a Word format? From: Moore, Zack Sent: Friday, July l4, 20174:47 PM To: Kemp 8urdette Cc: Benton, Mark ; Shehee, Mina ; Coleman, Scott ; Ku|inuki, Kelly ; Mackey, Chris Subject: Re: Cape Fear GenX Hi Mr. Burdette, l,nn attaching intonnation about the updated risk assessment. This was just sent out along with the release below detailing recent Gcn}Csampling results. lthink this document answers the questions from your original emoil. l`nn sorry for the delay; this is o complicated process as } know you're aware. Our goal has been to have this information ready when vvcreceived the results from [}B(), which happened this morning. Zack Moore, MID, MPH State Epidemiologist and Epidemiology Section Chief Division of Public Health North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services 919 546-1725 office 919 733 0490 fax (secure) zack.moorep .dhhs.nc.go Begin forwarded message: From: "Culton, Cobey" <Cobey.Culto r& ndhhs.nc.gov> Subject: FW: Joint Press Release: State Releases First Water Quality Data, Updated Health Information for GenX in Cape Fear River Date: July 14, 2017 at 4:3 6:5 9 PM EDT To: "Moore, Zack" <zack.moore L-Whhs.nc.gov> From: News@dhhs.nc.gov Sent: Friday, July 14, 2017 4:36 PIVI Subject: Joint Press Release: State Releases First Water Quality Data, Updated Health Information for GenX in Cape Fear River DEQ-CFW-00082703 Her 11-h and Hurnan North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality ;kate Releases First Water Quality Data, Updated Healt" Information for GenXin Cape Fear River I RALEIGH — State officials today released their first results of water quality samples and an updated preliminary health assessment for concentrations of the unregulated compound GenX in finished, or treated, drinking water. The revised health goal for exposure to GenX in drinking water is 140 nanograms per liter (also referred to as parts per trillion). Samples were analyzed at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Research Triangle Park and at ­-:­---.-.------,-.'. olab inColorado under contract toChennouna. Data from samples collected June 19 and July 6 show that the most recent results of finished, or treated, water in all but one facility were below the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services' health goal of 140 parts per trillion. The data also reveal that concentrations ofGenXare trending downward. Although no information is available about recreational health risks, people should refrain from swimming near the Chemours facility. "Our goal, isto protect the safety and health of all North Carolinians," said Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Environmental Quality to understand and communicate information in a timely manner, to help those impacted." W.C. Department ofEnvironmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan said: "Safe drinking water is n top priority for this administration, and QEQ takes aehoua!v its responsibility to protect the health and welfare of the public. We will continue to investigate this issue and make new information available to the public in a timely fashion." The findings reflect water quality data from snnlphea collected in the Fayetteville and Wilmington areas between June 19 -July 6. Results show higher concentrations near the point where Chemours' Fayetteville manufacturing facility was discharging GenX into the Cape Fear River, and much lower concentrations at the public water supply systems near the facility and 70 miles downstream in the Wilmington area The W.C. Department ofHealth and Human Services released an initial preliminary health risk assessment on June 8 for GenX in the Cape Fear River. Based on continuing analysis of health data and consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, the N.C. Department ofHealth and Human Services today updated its initial preliminary health assessment for GenX, the unregulated chemical compound recently identified in the lower Cape Fear River. Lower second week values reflect reduced exposure to GenXvvhen, at the urging of state, |oon| officials and concerned citizens, ChennouraonJune 21 began diverting wastewater containing the contaminant into storage tanks to be shipped out of state for incineration. DEQ inspected the Chemours site again this week after the company indicated that data it had collected was higher than what it would have expected to see after the June 21 vvaobevvabsr diversion had started. QEQ inspectors confirmed this week that Chernours stopped the additional discharges of GenX into the river and is collecting them for removal and incineration. The following data table reflects partial results of concentrations of GenX after the water had been treated by public water systems. Early results from all 13 test sites can be found on the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality's GeisX website: .......... ............................................... ............ .. . ........................... . .. . ......................... .. . ....................... .............................................................. ...................... .. .... ............. ..... A document showing the results in a spreadsheet is at: .................................................................. ....................... : ........... . ................................................................. . .................................... . ........ Additional water sample testing and analysis are underway with results to be shared once analysis is completed. The state's preliminary health goal was developed in consultation with EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ongoing discussions will apply guidance from leading federal researchers of emerging contaminants to help state officials provide the public with the best information available on potential health risks posed by GenX. Officials have been collecting water samples at multiple locations in the Fayetteville and Wilmington areas each week since June 19 and will continue sampling until at least late July. DEQ officials have extended the state's sampling regimen from three -to -six weeks to provide a more comprehensive understanding of Gen X concentrations in the lower Cape Fear River. For further information, please contact Chris Mackey, with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, at 919-855-4840 or 919-441-3577, or Jamie Kritzer, with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality at 919-707- DEQ-CFW-00082706 Mark Thank you for the quick reply. Mina and Zack good to meet you both. llook forward b/ working with you on this. Best regards, On Thu, Jul 62Ol7a14:O|PM, Benton Mork wrote: AM Thanks for reaching out and for asking these follow-up questions. Itwas apleasure meeting you as well and toshare time onthe panel together. I'm copying two of my fellow teammates in our Division of Public Health (DPH) that were very involved inthe developing our health advisory, including the levels. They are Mina Shehee and Zack Moore and one of them will follow-up directly with you. Thanks, again, for your email ... and, more importantly, for your work to protect the Lower Cape Fear River. My best, TWI. ZIRVINT-Wor, Deputy Secretary for Health Services NC Department of Health & Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 mark.benton@dhhs.nc.gov 0V�j ' I �1* M 919-715-4645 fax OUIRV�j ' �I W <imageOOIjpg> Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Low and may be disclosed to third parties. Unauthorized disclosure of juvenile, health, legally privileged, or otherwise confidential information, including confidential information relating to an ongoing State procurement effort, is prohibited by low. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete a// records of this e-mail. From: Kemp Burdette [mailto:kemp@cfrw.us] Sent: Thursday, July 6, 2017 1:38 PM To: Benton, Mark <Mark. Benton@ dhhs. nc.gov> Subject: Cape Fear GenX DEQ-CFW-00082708 Dear Mr. Benton, It was a pleasure to meet you at the GenX forum in Wilmington and to sit on the panel with you to discuss this emerging and extremely important issue. As you can imagine the approximately 300,000 people of the Lower Cape Fear Region who drink water from the Cape Fear River below the DuPont/Chemours discharge are extremely alarmed about the very real threat to our drinking water supply. As the Cape Fear Riverkeeper, I represent over a thousand members who value clean water and believe that it is a universal right. In response to the GenX issue, literally tens of thousands of local residents have joined numerous Fac*bnoh groups. |istsorves. neighborhood Qroups, mother's groups. etc. We have had three community forums, each well attended by concerned citizens, community leaders, elected officials, and the media (including numerous national outlets). There is one striking aspect to every interaction I have observed surrounding this issue; people have questions which they do not feel are being adequately answered. As a representative of thousands of people in our community, I am writing today to request that you share the methods you used to make the determination that the levels of GenX in the Cape Fear River drinking water are "low risk" There isugrowing consensus among scientists, community leaders and environmental activists that 70,909 ppt of GenX in drinking water does in fact pose significant risk to human health. In particular, we request you address the following questions in detail. We look forward to your timely response. Please confirm that you have received this email. Thank you. The EPA issued a health advisory of 70 parts per trillion for C8, a precursor to GenX in the manufacturing of Teflon. The Swedish government published asafe level for I I perfluorinated compounds of 90 parts per trillion. You have stated that the safe level for GenX indrinking water is70,909parts per trillion. 1) Can you provide a detailed description (show the math) for how you established 70,909 ppt as the safe level? 2) What peer -reviewed scientific research did you use to reach that number? What is the title of the paper(s) and who are the authors? Who funded the research? 3) Did you attempt to find additional research on safe levels of perfluorinated compounds in drinking 4) Did you find research that indicated safe levels that were lower than 70,909 parts per trillion? 5) If so, why did you chose to use 70,909 parts per trillion as the advisory level? 6) Is your safe level for acute exposure or long-term exposure? Are there different numbers for these? 7) Is your number the same for sensitive populations such as pregnant or nursing mothers, children, orpeople who may boill? 8) Did you consider the combined effects nfthe seven perOunhnet*dcompounds found inthe Kneppo 9) Are you developing safe levels for the other perfluorinated compounds detailed in the Knapp*. study? For 1-4 dioxane? 10) Have you read EPA's statements regarding their concern over the dangers of GenX? KemnBurdette Cape Fear Riverkeeper Wilmington, NC 28401 o-9!O-7b2-5hO0 c-9|O-264-8030 _ KemnBurdctte Cape Fear RJverkecper 0l7SurryStreet Wilmington, NC2040l o-9l0-782-56O6 o-9l0-284-8O36 OEQ-CFVV_00082710