United Nations experts are raising concerns about chemical giants DuPont and Chemours, saying they've violated human rights in North Carolina.

At a virtual news conference this week, a UN representative said these companies have been releasing harmful PFAS chemicals into the environment near the lower Cape Fear River.

Emily Donovan, co-founder of the group Clean Cape Fear, said more than 300 different chemicals in their water led them to seek help from the UN. She said getting clean and safe drinking water has been an issue for decades, and local residents continue to suffer the consequences.

"The amount of sicknesses and illnesses happening in our region is incredibly depressing and hurtful," said Donovan.

Last fall, she said, the UN wrote to the companies expressing concern. In their responses, DuPont denied responsibility for a Fayetteville Works Plant, a suspected contamination source, and Chemours claimed it has reduced its PFAS releases and exposure.

Donovan said they're still figuring out how widespread the pollution is. They know it affects eight counties, about a half-million people and around 10,000 wells. With Chemours planning an expansion and perhaps even importing international waste, she said the situation is becoming dire for local communities.

"We are tired of being a sacrifice zone," she added.

Dr. Marcos Orellana, special rapporteur on toxics and human rights for the United Nations, warns that PFAS chemicals are a danger worldwide. He criticized companies that refuse to acknowledge the potential dangers and don't do more to protect residents.

"The concerns in regards to Cape Fear and the Fayetteville Works are extremely concerning," he said, "because of disinformation spread by companies, because of the dumping and pollution, inadequate controls that have affected people's access to clean drinking water."

The letter called on the companies to take action to prevent PFAS exposure and protect local residents. The UN has also contacted state and federal regulators, demanding that they seek greater accountability from polluters. Orellana said the U.S. government has yet to respond.


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The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule to close a significant loophole in coal ash disposal regulations.

The Coal Combustion Residuals Rule targets millions of tons of toxic coal ash previously exempt from federal oversight, including the 19 legacy coal ash ponds and landfills in Georgia. For decades, utilities have disposed of coal ash by dumping it in unlined ponds and landfills where the toxins leak into groundwater.

Dori Jaffe, managing attorney for the Environmental Law Program at the Sierra Club, hailed the EPA's decision as a significant victory for communities impacted by coal ash pollution.

"They now will also have to comply with certain requirements regarding groundwater monitoring, corrective action, closure and post-closure care of those units," Jaffe explained.

The rule comes as part of a comprehensive effort by the EPA to tackle pollution from power plants. Alongside the new rule, the agency announced three other regulations aimed at reducing carbon emissions, wastewater pollution and toxic air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants.

According to the EPA, coal ash is a byproduct of coal-fired power plants with a hazardous mix of pollutants and carcinogens. The pollutants found in coal ash are linked to myriad health conditions from cancer to reproductive failure, and pose grave risks to both human and environmental health.

Jaffe underscored the significance of the regulations in holding utilities accountable and pushing for cleaner energy solutions.

"There have been some concerns in the past regarding how EPA is issuing those permits because they are allowing coal ash ponds to be closed in place where the coal ash continues to be saturated with groundwater," Jaffe pointed out. "Which means it's still going to be able to leave that pond, go out into the groundwater and contaminate potentially public water supply sources."

She emphasized Georgia's Environmental Protection Division will not be able to issue permits for closure plans regarding the coal ash ponds but will have to seek permission from the EPA.

Moving forward, Jaffe is concerned about how the rules will be implemented. However, she added it is a great step in protecting communities and the environment from the harmful effects of coal ash.

The North Carolina Utilities Commission is giving residents a chance to voice their opinion on a plan which could influence how their electricity is generated and impact costs for years to come.

The state is updating its Carbon Plan, and in it Duke Energy is proposing a build out of 8.9 gigawatts of new gas plants, representing one of the largest buildouts of new gas plants of any utility in the country. The plan is raising concerns among residents and environmental advocates.

Naomi Albert, North Carolina field coordinator for the advocacy group Appalachian Voices, warned it could affect electricity rates, while posing risks to the state's climate goals and community health.

"For the communities that are directly adjacent to them, there are health concerns," Albert pointed out. "Burning fossil fuels, like methane gas and coal, produces air pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and others that contribute to the development of a whole host of diseases including lung disease, asthma."

Albert highlighted the issue of winter reliability. During Winter Storm Elliot, the failure of gas-powered generation resulted in widespread power outages across the eastern half of the U.S., including 500,000 Duke Energy customers in the Carolinas.

Residents will get the chance to speak in person this week at two public hearings. The first hearing will be today in Wilmington at the New Hanover Courthouse, and the second will take place Tuesday at the Durham County Courthouse.

House Bill 951 outlines energy targets North Carolina utilities must achieve, including a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the electric power sector by 2030, and complete carbon neutrality by 2050. Albert pointed out the proposed plan does not help meet the stated goals and will leave customers with unpredictable bill increases, driven by fuel volatility.

"Recent analysis by EDF and EQ Research shows that high gas prices have driven up electricity rates in recent years," Albert reported. "They found that increased fuel costs drove 67% of the increase in residential rates in Duke Energy Carolina service territory. "

Albert believes improvements can be made to the plan to meet the goals outlined by the state and incorporate resources to increase renewable energy. As the public hearings approach, she urged North Carolinians to raise their voice and share what they think. People unable to make the in-person hearings can leave a comment on the commission's website.


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After the Biden administration released a new rule setting standards to limit exposure to silica dust, advocates in Kentucky and around Appalachia argued it is not enough to stem the region's black lung epidemic.

The new rule shrinks in half the allowed exposure limit for crystalline silica during an eight-hour shift.

Rebecca Shelton, director of policy for the Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, who represents miners in federal black lung disability claims, said while the rule is beneficial since silica dust exposure standards have not been updated in decades, miners are cutting through increasing amounts of rock to get to coal seams, breathing in more and more toxic dust.

"In the last decade or so, we have seen miners who are younger than ever before, and also sicker, coming through our doors because of this exposure to silica," Shelton observed. "Silica dust itself is more toxic than just coal dust alone."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said modern-day coal miners are at greater risk of developing respiratory disease than their predecessors, likely driven by increasing silica coal mine dust inhalation.

Shelton pointed out the new rule also requires quarterly sampling and stronger record-keeping requirements by coal operators, with little oversight for compliance and a heavy reliance on the coal industry's willingness to participate.

"Mine operators are going to be responsible for kind of self-auditing, and periodically evaluating the conditions in the mine to assess whether silica dust levels may be increasing, whether they may need to conduct more sampling," Shelton explained.

According to the group Appalachian Voices, one in five tenured miners in Central Appalachia has black lung disease and one in twenty lives with the most severe and disabling form of black lung.


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