NCDHHS Urges North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” with Insect Repellant and Other Prevention Tools to Avoid Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Disease
|
|
RALEIGH- An agreement signed today ends litigation without changing the discharge permit issued to Chemours for the treatment of contaminated groundwater to significantly reduce PFAS entering the Cape Fear River.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) reached an agreement with Chemours to end the litigation over the permit issued by DEQ on September 15, 2022. Last month, Chemours filed a petition to challenge the permit. CFPUA intervened to support the permit.
Today’s agreement does not change the final permit conditions and includes measures by which Chemours will proceed toward compliance with the final PFAS permit limits. Those limits take effect six months after discharge from the treatment system begins. In the agreement, Chemours agrees to take specific steps and provide monthly reports on its progress during the six-month optimization period. Chemours also agrees to dismiss its petition for a contested case hearing on the permit.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the treatment system is part of the larger barrier wall remediation project to substantially reduce PFAS entering the Cape Fear River and impacting downstream communities. Currently, contaminated groundwater from the facility site flows untreated directly into the Cape Fear River. This project is designed to reduce the largest ongoing source of PFAS at the Chemours facility that contaminates the river and reaches downstream water intakes. The project must be operational by March 15, 2023, under the terms of the Consent Order. DEQ expects Chemours to take necessary actions to comply with the permit conditions and the Consent Order and meet its obligations to clean up the PFAS contamination impacting thousands of residents in at least eight counties and provide them with alternate water. DEQ will continue to hold Chemours accountable for the cleanup and for preventing future impacts to North Carolinians.
The agreement is available online here.
The NPDES permit for the treatment system is part of the larger barrier wall remediation project to substantially reduce PFAS entering the Cape Fear River and impacting downstream communities. Chemours is required to fulfill its obligations under the Consent Order and reduce the amount of contaminated groundwater reaching the Cape Fear River from the Chemours Fayetteville Works facility.
The Consent Order Addendum specifies a minimum reduction of 99% for the treatment system. DEQ expects Chemours to take all necessary steps to minimize its PFAS impacts on the environment. Pursuing litigation threatens to delay implementation beyond the Consent Order deadline of March 2023 and extend the ongoing contamination reaching the river and impacting downstream residents.
RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold a community information meeting on Tuesday, October 11, at Roland-Grise Middle School in Wilmington. DEQ will share updates on private well sampling underway for PFAS contamination in New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus and Pender counties. Staff will also answer questions from the public about the private well sampling and alternate water supplies.
When: Tuesday, October 11 at 6 p.m.
Where: Roland-Grise Middle School Auditorium
4412 Lake Ave, Wilmington, NC 28403
Speaker sign-up will be available upon arrival at the meeting.
At DEQ’s direction, Chemours is sampling for PFAS contamination in eligible private drinking water wells downstream of the Fayetteville Works Facility. Chemours is required to provide alternate water supplies to residents whose wells exceed specific action levels.
To have your well sampled, call Chemours at (910) 678-1100. Messages to the Chemours call line are monitored during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Chemours should respond within 24-to-48 hours starting on the next business day. Chemours is also sending letters to well owners/residents requesting information about primary drinking water sources and offering sampling.
Additional well sampling information for residents is available on the DEQ website: https://deq.nc.gov/news/key-issues/genx-investigation/well-sampling-information-lower-cape-fear-area-residents.
https://unc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8oGDg4dXu6dT6MC?Source=email
RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold a community information meeting on Tuesday, October 11, at Roland-Grise Middle School in Wilmington. DEQ will share updates on private well sampling underway for PFAS contamination in New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, and Pender counties. Staff will also answer questions from the public about the private well sampling and alternate water supplies.
When: Tuesday, October 11 at 6 p.m.
Where: Roland-Grise Middle School Auditorium
4412 Lake Ave, Wilmington, NC 28403
Speaker sign-up will be available upon arrival at the meeting.
At DEQ’s direction, Chemours is sampling for PFAS contamination in eligible private drinking water wells downstream of the Fayetteville Works Facility. Chemours is required to provide alternate water supplies to residents whose wells exceed specific action levels.
To have your well sampled, call Chemours at (910) 678-1100. Messages to the Chemours call-line are monitored during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Chemours should respond within 24-to-48 hours starting on the next business day. Chemours is also sending letters to well owners/residents requesting information about primary drinking water sources and offering sampling.
Additional well sampling information for residents is available on the DEQ website: https://deq.nc.gov/news/key-issues/genx-investigation/well-sampling-information-lower-cape-fear-area-residents
BURGAW – The Bivalent COVID booster, which provides additional protection against the Omicron strain, is available from the Pender County Health Department.
“The bivalent booster is recommended for adults even if you have had all four COVID vaccine shots,” said Carolyn Moser, Director of Pender County Health and Human Services. “It contains the protection of the ‘original’ boosters along with added protection against the Omicron strain. It offers another layer of protection that previous boosters did not.”
Citizens may receive the bivalent booster two months after the primary series is complete or two months after their last booster dose. The CDC is recommending people receive the booster when they qualify.
“The COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, continue to save countless lives and prevent the most serious outcomes (hospitalization and death) of COVID-19,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “As we head into fall and begin to spend more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone eligible to consider receiving a booster dose with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”
“If you have questions about your specific health condition and receiving the bivalent booster it is best to talk to your primary care doctor or specialist provider about your specific situation,” said Moser.
All three COVID vaccines are available from the Pender County Health Department. The health department has two locations to serve the area – 803 S. Walker St. in Burgaw or 15060 US Hwy 17 in Hampstead. For questions call 910-259-1230.
Pender County residents and visitors have an additional travel option. It’s called RideMICRO. And it is perfect for a resident who needs to get to a doctor’s appointment, college classes, or shopping. It’s perfect for tourists who aren’t certain where they are going, or don’t have a rental car large enough for the multi-generational vacation.
“RideMICRO is a WAVE Transit service,” said Brianna D’Itri, the Mobility Manager at the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority. “RideMICRO functions like an UBER or a taxi, only cheaper.”
Called “MICRO” for short, the service area includes Pender, Brunswick, and New Hanover counties.
“This allows us more connectivity,” said D’Itri.
While MICRO is public transit, it isn’t your grandparents’ city bus or shuttle bus. MICRO uses smaller vans and a Suburban to get riders from point A to point B.
“MICRO is divided into zones,” said D’Itri. “Pender County is Zone 2.”
Riders can book transportation to and from Pender County daily or just for special occasions.
“Some of our riders going to dialysis, or just grocery shopping or to work or school,” said D’Itri, adding that the youngest daily rider is a 14-year-old who attends college classes.
D’itri said passengers use MICRO for a ride to and from the airport, which saves on parking fees and taxi fares. Riders who are shopping downtown or who want a trip to the beach where parking fees apply can save parking fees as well.
“It’s very convenient,” said D’Itri. “There are three ways to book a ride: download the RideMICRO app on your smartphone, complete an online form at our website, or call us toll-free.”
A ride anywhere in the service area is just $2 per person per trip. Riders can pay online with a debit card or pay cash. Children under the age of 4 years old ride free.
RideMICRO also offers wheelchair accessibility. D’Itri recommended that riders concerned about accessibility can call the toll-free number and a service representative will answer concerns.
MICRO is a pilot program, and the WAVE Authority is pleased to have this year to evaluate the needs and wants of their riders. They see expansion and additional service areas in the future.
“Our goal is to service residents’ and visitors’ needs,” said D’Itri.
The RideMICRO app is available on Apple and Android smartphones. The website address to explore the service is https://www.wavetransit.com/ridemicro/ or call for information at the toll-free number 1-844-764-1223.
Pender County Health Department Provides at-Home COVID-19 Test at No Charge
Pender County Health Department is currently offering free at-home COVID-19 test kits. Test kits are available for pickup with a limit of four per person. Visit either of our locations:
At-home COVID-19 test kits help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by providing you with results in minutes.
When to use your at-home testing kits:
If your test is Positive:
Resources for COVID-19 at-home test kits:
Questions? Contact Pender County Health Department at 1-910-259-1230
at-home covid19 test availability