The NC Chamber supports protecting the environment, businesses, and families. The best way to do that is moving toward technology-based effluent limits, in alignment with available science.
The NC Chamber and the business community’s position on PFAS has been wildly mischaracterized. NC Chamber members are operating in compliance with existing regulations.
Like any issue, the science around PFAS continues to advance and it is our position that any additional regulations remain in alignment with those scientific advancements. We cannot outrun science.
Regulatory standards must be clear, measurable, and achievable so that North Carolina businesses of all sizes can comply with them and continue to provide a way for people to earn a living.
The NC Chamber supports moving forward with technology-based effluent limits.
- Effluent limits establish a specified level of reduction for pollutant discharge.
- The specified levels are developed by regulators on an industry-by-industry basis and incorporated into discharge permits, which make them enforceable.
- Effluent limitations reduce the discharge of pollutants into water, protect human and aquatic health, and minimize the cost to ratepayers.
The NC Chamber also supports regulating to the highest safe dose, with a reasonable margin of error.
- The level matters: the lower the level, the higher the cost of compliance.
- Clean water is worth the cost, but regulators should not arbitrarily establish a level that is low for the sake of being low – or for the sake of a headline.
- Established maximum levels must be backed by science – including readily available technology to measure and filter to the set level.
While there is much discussion around ratepayers, it is the Clean Water Act that states water quality standards cannot consider cost or impact on ratepayers. That makes sense, it is important to keep the water safe, no matter the cost. That said, it is also important not to go too far just to get a headline because all that does is raise cost for North Carolina families and job creators.
Unlike politicians and activists, business does not have the luxury of boiling this down to a pithy comment, it is a complex issue that requires complex analysis.
We feel that regulating in alignment with science and moving toward technology-based effluent limits is the best path forward for North Carolina families and their employers.
UPDATE COMING SOON: Establishing Liability for Class Action and More
This is just the beginning. Attorneys at Smith Anderson break down the practical effects of the EPA’s PFAS rules – from superfund liability to potential litigation and business impacts. Learn more.
Feb. 2025: Setting the Record Straight re Port City Daily
Reporting by the Port City Daily, an online newspaper dedicated to the Cape Fear region, around the NC Chamber’s engagement on water regulations is inflammatory and sensationalized to such a point that we can no longer engage in good faith. That said, we want to ensure our members understand where we stand on this issue. Learn more.
Q3 2024: Understanding Your Liability re PFAS
As the NC Manufacturing Council convened for its Q3 webinar, presented by the North Carolina Railroad Company, NC Chamber members were joined by prospective members for an in-depth discussion on PFAS and the liability surrounding it. Learn more.
2024: Advocating for Your Right to Regulatory Certainty
Petitioning our government for certainty and predictability and asking tough questions about our leaders’ plans for our future should never be called misinformation. Learn more.
June 2024: Science Must Shape the Process on PFAS
Ultimately, business wants clean water and a predictable approach to any rulemaking process. Toxicologists generally follow a three-part process to determine risk. We are concerned that, due to the nature of politics and election-year pressures, this process was not fully executed when it comes to regulating PFAS in North Carolina. Learn more.
What is PFAS?
PFAS is a broad family of chemistry with essential uses because of their unique water, grease, and stain-resistant qualities. Learn more.
The Essential Role of PFAS
When political leaders gain favorable headlines by suggesting a total ban on PFAS, they neglect to mention that life would change dramatically for every North Carolinian. This chemical family is essential to mobility, communication, medical treatment, and more. Our state and nation cannot meet its electrification, fuel efficiency, and clean energy standards, as well as other sustainability goals, without the essential chemistry of PFAS. Learn more.