The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's (NAACP) New Hanover County Branch has joined environmental and community groups pressing Chemours and DuPont to release thousands of internal documents related to PFAS contamination of the Cape Fear River.
In short:
- The Southern Coalition for Social Justice filed a motion on behalf of the NAACP New Hanover County Branch to oppose Chemours' and DuPont’s efforts to keep documents sealed.
- The case stems from lawsuits dating back to 2017 over PFAS discharges from the Fayetteville Works plant into the Cape Fear River, which supplies drinking water to tens of thousands.
- The NAACP and other groups argue the public has a right to information that could affect health decisions and reveal the scope of contamination.
Key quote:
“The people of New Hanover County have been kept in the dark for too long. We have a right to know what dangers have been allowed into our water and our lives. Our fight is about protecting our community’s health today and for generations to come, and that starts with transparency.”
— LeRon T. Montgomery, NAACP New Hanover County Branch president
Why this matters:
Communities along the Cape Fear River have long been exposed to PFAS pollution from the Fayetteville Works plant operated by Chemours and, before that, DuPont. Yet the full extent of contamination and its potential health effects remains unclear, largely due to the lack of publicly available corporate data. As Chemours and DuPont resist releasing internal communications that could shed light on the chemicals’ production and impact, residents face ongoing uncertainty about drinking water contamination and long-term health. The fight for transparency is not just a legal battle; it reflects broader concerns about corporate accountability, environmental justice, and the right of affected communities — many of whom have faced disproportionate environmental burdens — to access critical information that could safeguard their health and inform their responses to the crisis.
Read more:
