Environmental Advocates and Community Leaders Applaud AG Jackson’s Historic $590 Million Settlement with Chemours/DuPont Over PFAS Contamination
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026
Contact: comms@ncdoj.gov
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RALEIGH — On Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson announced the largest environmental damages recovery in state history: A $590 million settlement between the state of North Carolina, 11 local governments, and DuPont and Chemours over PFAS contamination.
Environmental groups and leaders have applauded the settlement. Here’s what they’re saying:
“We know that Chemours will only do the right thing when it’s forced to, so we’re grateful to the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality for showing North Carolinians that they will hold Chemours’ feet to the fire to make sure we have clean drinking water,” said Dan Crawford, Senior Director of Public Affairs, North Carolina League of Conservation Voters.
“We’re grateful to Gov. Josh Stein, Attorney General Jackson and Secretary Wilson for the dogged leadership they’ve shown in holding Chemours accountable – tangibly and forcefully – for the harm they’ve caused to our communities and our people,” said Erin Carey, Deputy Director of the N.C. Sierra Club. “And while accountability for those who have willfully harmed North Carolinians is critical, ensuring that our drinking water is safe from toxic industry discharge is the essential next step. As a state, we can prevent the next chemical crisis by passing meaningful, enforceable, health-based regulations that prevent these toxins from ever entering state waters in the first place.”
“The damage that decades of PFAS pollution have caused in eastern North Carolina cannot be fully repaired. But this settlement is a major step forward in holding corporate polluters like Chemours accountable for the harm they have caused these communities,” said Corinne Bell, Senior Attorney for Environmental Health at Natural Resources Defense Council. “With this funding, state and local leaders can invest in clean-up efforts and clean water programs to protect our families and our natural resources. In addition to cleaning up Chemours’ existing contamination, we need to stop the flow of new forever chemical pollution.”
“CFPUA is encouraged to learn that Chemours has resolved its cases with the Town of Wrightsville Beach and other neighboring communities affected by PFAS pollution from Chemours and DuPont,” said a statement from Cape Fear Public Utility Authority. “We want to emphasize that this settlement does not impact CFPUA’s separate and ongoing lawsuit against Chemours and DuPont. Perhaps today’s events will motivate Chemours to take responsibility for its continued burden on CFPUA. Until then, CFPUA will continue to pursue our litigation against Chemours and DuPont for the decades of toxic PFAS releases into the Cape Fear River and the millions of dollars spent by CFPUA mitigating that contamination.”
“For years, Cumberland County residents have lived with the consequences of contamination they did not create,” said Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere. “Families who did nothing wrong have worried about what comes out of their tap. The lawsuit was about accountability. The settlement provides resources. The work ahead is about solutions. We will continue to use every resource to protect our communities, pursue additional state and federal support and build toward a permanent solution for clean, safe, regulated drinking water.”
“I want to thank Attorney General Jeff Jackson and his team for seeing this case through,” said New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Chair LeAnn Pierce. “I want to thank Governor Stein who filed this lawsuit while he was serving as Attorney General for beginning this fight and standing with the people of New Hanover County. This settlement is an important step, but it is not the end. We will keep working to protect our water, support affected residents, and hold polluters accountable. Again, it is a great day for New Hanover County.”
“It’s been a long time coming, but we are proud to stand up for our County and demand what is due for our community,” said Brunswick County Chairman Mike Forte. “We commend all our staff, legal counsel, local leaders, and partner agencies for their tremendous work over the years to ensure that Brunswick County received recognition and compensation for the costly infrastructure improvements we have had to make to combat the PFAS issue in the Cape Fear River.”
“Every single resident using the county water system deserves to turn on their faucet without fear; while no dollar amount can erase the uncertainty our community as experienced, this settlement forces these corporations to pay for the cleanup, rather than placing that burden on our local taxpayers,” said a statement from Robeson County Board of Commissioners. “We hear the calls from our community members and we are entirely committed to using every penny of these to secure a clean, healthy and safe environment for our children and future generations.”
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