DEQ-CFW_00022850

E. Scott Pruitt
Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency
12OOPennsylvania Ave,NVV
Washington, D[IO46O
| am writing to ask your assistance in North Carolina's efforts to address the unregulated chemical
known asGenX. As you may know, this compound has been found in the drinking water supply in the
lower Cape Fear River, downstream from Chemours, the company whose wastewater discharge
contained the chemical. The company recently took action to divert the waste stream containing GenX
toastorage tank atthe facility. VVeare working toconfirm that GenXisnolonger entering the river
through the wastewater discharge.
Water quality protection and wastewater management strategies remain fundamental to promoting
public health and strengthening our state'seconomy. North Carolina General Statutes and
implementation of the Clean Water Act requirements guide our commitment to water quality and
protection ofpublic health.
Staff members of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) have been collecting
water samples near the facility and downstream since June l9,2Ol7. These samples have been
analyzed by both your staff at the National Exposure Research Laboratory and a private lab, Test
America. VVehave just released the data from the first two weeks ofsampling.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have been working closely with
toxicologists and scientists in your Office of Water and the Risk Assessment Division to develop a health
assessment for this chemical. | understand that your agency isworking tofinalize ahealth assessment. |
write to you today to ask that this effort be expedited to the extent possible. I also request that EPA
proceed with setting amaximum contaminant level for GenX. | believe these actions will help guide
North Carolina asvveaddress this chemical.
Finally, the Toxic 5ubstance Control Act (S[A) which is not delegated to the states is the initial gateway
to chemical manufacturing. VVeappreciate the complexity inthe review ofmanufacturing registrations
and the balance taken tosupport economic growth with product services. States rely onthe EPA for
those evaluations to ensure chemical manufacturing is accomplished in a manner protective of the
environment and public health. |nthat role xveask for the EPA toensure the federal TS[Achemical
manufacturing registrations are conducted such that byproducts are evaluated from other onsite
production lines, including consequences ofwastewater discharges.
I thank you for the support your staff at NERL and
have already provided my staff in
DE[\and DHHS. Their input has been invaluable during this process. | look forward tohearing from you
regarding myrequests.