June 24, 2026 (www.waternewswire.com) The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) announced a multi-state settlement with The Chemours Company under the Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Toxic Substance Control Act, and West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act.
The settlement covers four Chemours facilities — located in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey — that use or produce PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are synthetic "forever chemicals" used to make products resistant to water, grease, and stains. This is the first comprehensive settlement by the federal government to resolve enforcement claims over pollution by a manufacturer of forever chemicals.
Under the agreement, Chemours will:
- Pay a civil penalty of $22.5 million for alleged violations
- Conduct a multi-year, $90 million program to mitigate PFAS discharges
- Install PFAS pollution controls for surface water discharges and air emissions at its West Virginia facility, at an estimated cost of $60 million
- Supply clean drinking water for more than a decade to communities surrounding its facilities in West Virginia and New Jersey, at an estimated cost of $280 million
- Evaluate and implement controls to reduce releases of PFAS and other toxic chemicals from its North Carolina facility
Combined, the cost of the penalty and injunctive relief programs are estimated to exceed $450 million. The settlement allows Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS for critical commercial and military applications while preventing future contamination.
"This landmark settlement shows the Administration's commitment to protecting the public from harmful pollution. Through this commitment, Chemours will better control PFAS at its plants, allowing the company to continue its manufacturing operations while protecting communities in North Carolina, West Virginia, and New Jersey from PFAS exposure. This agreement ensures that the company will manufacture these critical materials in a responsible manner." — Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson, DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division
"This first comprehensive federal settlement against a major PFAS manufacturer delivers on the Trump Administration's promise to make polluters pay and stop PFAS contamination at the source. By appropriately employing the full suite of existing legal authorities, we can greatly reduce PFAS contamination of water, land, and air and even begin to mitigate past harm. This settlement brings Chemours into compliance with the law and holds it fully accountable." — Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
"As Attorney General, my office investigated Chemours and took crucial steps needed to reach this settlement and position the state to reach justice for West Virginians — we will continue to ensure that every company complies with our laws. This settlement is an encouraging first step, but it addresses only one piece of a much larger issue. We remain actively engaged in discussions to reach a comprehensive resolution for the Washington Works facility that protects our citizens and ensures West Virginia's communities have confidence that these issues are being addressed for the long term." — West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey
Background
The complaint alleges that three Chemours facilities in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey discharged PFAS into the Ohio River, Cape Fear River, and Delaware River, in violation of permits required by the Clean Water Act and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act. Additionally, Chemours was allegedly not complying with legal requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act at all four facilities. These alleged violations continued for over a decade.
The facilities were previously owned for many decades by DuPont. Today's settlement does not resolve DuPont's liability for forever chemicals.
PFAS are widely used and found around the world. Scientific studies show that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
Remediation Requirements
To remedy the alleged violations, the consent decree calls for:
- 14 specified projects to reduce PFAS in wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater from the West Virginia plant, including treatment systems using granulated activated carbon
- Drinking water testing and clean water supply for people near the plants in West Virginia and New Jersey
- GenX controls at each facility at an efficiency of at least 99%, covering the chemical compound used to aid in making fluoropolymers
- Controls at the North Carolina facility to mitigate releases of PFAS and other toxics based on recommendations from a third-party engineering firm
- Enhanced Leak Detection and Repair programs to reduce emissions of PFAS
- Hazardous waste compliance certification
These programs will last for 15 years.
Attorneys with the DOJ's Environmental Enforcement Section lodged the consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The consent decree is subject to a public comment period and is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
More information is available on EPA's Chemours Settlement Summary – June 2026 webpage.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs — Press Release Number: 26-688, June 24, 2026