PRESS RELEASE
The Office of Senator Kirk deViere
The North Carolina Senate – District 19 (Cumberland County)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nathaniel Jacobs | deVierela@ncleg.gov
October 18, 2021
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Announces PFAS Strategic Roadmap
RALEIGH, N.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator
Michael S. Regan announced the agency’s comprehensive Strategic Roadmap to confront PFAS
contamination nationwide. The Roadmap is the result of a thorough analysis conducted by the EPA
Council on PFAS that Administrator Regan established in April 2021. EPA’s Roadmap is centered
on three guiding strategies: Increase investments in research, leverage authorities to take action now
to restrict PFAS chemicals from being released into the environment, and accelerate the cleanup of
PFAS contamination. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and other elected leaders will join
Administrator Regan at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, for the announcement.
Read the full details to the Strategic Roadmap on the EPA website at:
https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-2024
Senator deViere’s statement on the EPA’s action:
As the state senator that represents Cumberland, the county that is ground zero for GEN X
contamination, I applaud the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its Administrator,
Michael Regan, on the agency’s comprehensive Strategic Roadmap to confront PFAS contamination
nationwide. I also am glad to see the aggressive timelines to set enforceable drinking water limits
under the Safe Drinking Water Act as well as the final toxicity assessment for GenX. But, we must
do more.
While this announcement provides a roadmap we need timely action to provide clean water now to
the thousands of residents of Cumberland County who have contaminated wells. The ultimate
solution cannot be simply of offering bottles of water to residents or installing under-the-sink filters.
My of ice has and will continue to advocate for a short term solution to ensure residents have access
to clean water for their entire household. My dedication to finding a solution dates back to when
Administrator Regan was North Carolina DEQ Secretary Regan.
This is a public health crisis and the time for drastic immediate improvement is now. I am calling on
NCDEQ Secretary Biser, Governor Cooper, as well as Chemours to provide bold and aggressive
leadership to ensure clean water and help my constituents and so many others affected by PFAS
pollution. I stand ready to work side by side to achieve a solution for our citizens.