For the Sake of Clean Water, It’s Time for Conservatives to Believe in Conservation Again

I’m writing this sitting at Wrightsville Beach and I’m reminded why our beaches are the envy of the East Coast. But it also reminded me of a pending study someone mentioned which has found potentially dangerous levels of PFAS and forever chemicals in seafoam along our coastline. If this study is true, it poses a significant threat to our beaches. Since 2017, our region has been dealing with the effects of when Chemours/DuPont’s Fayetteville Plant were knowingly dumping toxic PFAS chemicals into the Cape Fear River. If high levels of PFAS are found in the seafoam, we will have more problems. 

PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) or what’s known as forever chemicals are substances used in the manufacturing of teflon, non-stick coatings, fire fighting foams, and other daily applications. These substances are part of a family of 15,000 chemicals that break down slowly in the environment. Research on PFAS exposure suggests that these chemicals lower immune function and increase the risk of cancer and childhood obesity, among other negative health effects.

Every business owner, ratepayer, and resident in our region has felt the effects of Chemours actions and we’ve paid for it too. One specialized filter alone costs a typical restaurant, bar, or cafe at least $30,000. For many small business owners, that is a make or break expense. Business owners and ratepayers have paid millions to clean up our water supply, including $43 million on a project to add eight granular activated carbon (GAC) filters at Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s (CFPUA) Sweeney Water Treatment Plant. So far, Chemours/DuPont only had to pay a few million dollars in fines. 

Controlling water pollution and protecting our drinking sources should be a non-partisan issue, yet the state and federal government seems to skirt away from actually addressing the issues of setting toxic chemical discharge guidelines and making polluters pay to clean up their mess. When lawmakers were asked about PFAS and Gen X their response generally was, “There’s still a lot we don’t know about these chemicals.” One former Cumberland County Commissioner went so far as to say that “Gen X may be good for you”. 

Early February of this year, the Federal Government withdrew its EPA drinking water standards for six forever chemicals. These standards would put discharge limits for PFAS manufactures. Now the EPA will have to review and resubmit these standards. This leaves it up to NC to enact state standards. Unfortunately, the state’s latest plan does nothing to stop toxic dumping of PFAS chemicals into the drinking water. The proposed rule would require companies to test for PFAS pollution and submit voluntary plans to reduce it — but sets no limits and imposes no penalties, even if dangerous contamination is found.

Last year the Cape Fear Business Alliance was the only pro-business group that supported HB 864, legislation that would hold polluters who knowingly dump dangerous chemicals into our water liable for all cleanup costs. The bill, sponsored by Republican Representatives Ted Davis, Frank Iler, and co-sponsored by Rep. Charlie Miller was criticized by the NC Chamber of Commerce, the NC Manufacturing Alliance, and Chemours as being anti-business. This bill, along with others like it, never made it out of committee.

I believe in free markets and eliminating regulations that burden business owners with unnecessary expenses. We need to do everything we can to make our state and region the number one place to do business. But when a major corporation that isn’t even located in our region, knowingly pollutes our drinking water and tries to get off scot-free,  I have a problem with that. Every resident in Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender County should also have a problem with this. 

The right solution is for Chemours and other polluters to reimburse CFPUA, ratepayers, and business owners for the costs of filtering the water and clean up. We also need clear dumping thresholds and severe penalties in place to make sure this never happens again. Otherwise corporate manufacturers will continue to dump toxic substances into our water because paying a few million-dollar fines is cheaper than actual containment. If the pollution continues, we will find more people in our region getting sick, our tourist industry will take a hit, and fewer people will want to move to our beautiful coastline. 

For too long liberals have controlled the conversation around conservation policy. Far-left environmental groups have pushed policies that include more regulation, more government control, and tend to ignore economic impacts. In a red state, like NC, they might as well talk to a brick wall. For the sake of clean water, it’s time for conservatives to believe in conservation again. We need to embrace the principals of Republican President Teddy Roosevelt who believed in protecting the environment, believed that the coal miner’s son and the banker’s son should have the same shot at life, and that true capitalism was where businesses played by the rules and competed fairly. 

Once again, conservative Republicans need to return to the party of main street. The party of fighting corruption, crony capitalism, and special interests that benefits the top corporations while unfairly hurting small businesses. We must fight together, especially on water pollution. 

This week, I’m meeting with business leaders in the region who are fed up with the inaction of the government’s response to water pollution. They have felt the costs in both spending money to filter water for their customers and the personal costs of having family members get sick and, in some cases, develop cancer from PFAS. I encourage every business owner, conservative, and resident to stand up for our community. Because our unified voice cannot be ignored. 

While the Chamber and other powerful groups advocate for Chemours and corporate special interests in Raleigh, I pledge to fight for the business owners here locally because our small businesses matter. Our beaches matter. Our health matters. The Cape Fear Region matters. That’s something worth fighting for. 

Originally published in The Wilmington Conservative.