REMINDER: Public hearings scheduled on proposed PFAS monitoring, minimization rules

Public Hearing Details 
When: 6 p.m., April 20, 2026 
Where: Archdale Building, Ground Floor Hearing Room, 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, N.C., 27604 
Register: Sign-in and speaker registration will begin at 5 p.m. 
Parking information: Public parking will be available after 5 p.m. at Parking Deck 64, which is located across North Salisbury Street from the Archdale Building. Please see the Interactive State Parking Map for additional parking options: Interactive Map.     

Public Hearing Details 
When: 6 p.m., April 23, 2026 
Where: Wilmington City Hall at Skyline Center, 1st Floor Conference Center, 929 North Front St., Wilmington, 28401 
Register: Sign-in and speaker registration will begin at 5 p.m.  

In addition to accepting comments at the hearings, written comments may also be submitted by email to publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with the subject title “PFAS minimization” through June 15. Written comments may also be submitted by mail to: Karen Preston, DEQ-DWR NPDES Permitting Section, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617. 

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals widely found in commercial, industrial and consumer products. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment and can build up in humans and animals. An estimated 3.5 million North Carolinians drink tap water that has PFAS levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency health-based standard scheduled to go into effect in the coming years.   

The EMC is accepting comment on proposed rules, 15A NCAC 02b .0512 and 15A NCAC 02H .0923, for monitoring and minimizing three compounds: PFOS, PFOA and GenX. These rules are proposed to characterize the presence of PFOS, PFOA, and GenX in discharges from industrial National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) dischargers, publicly owned treatment facilities that accept industrial waste from significant industrial users through pretreatment programs, as well as from significant industrial users, which are also known as indirect dischargers. 

The proposed rules would also require certain industrial direct dischargers and significant industrial users to develop minimization plans that identify approaches to reduce PFOS, PFOA and GenX discharges directly or indirectly to surface waters. 

Public comments will be accepted on these proposed rule adoptions and the regulatory impact analysis associated with these rule adoptions. The EMC is also accepting public comments on specific questions: 

• whether it would be scientifically defensible and advisable to establish a screening threshold above the lowest reporting concentration for PFOS, PFOA and GenX that could serve as a trigger for ongoing monitoring and minimization requirements; 

• whether the applicability of the PFAS monitoring and minimization rule should be limited to industrial dischargers associated with a standard industry classification (SIC) or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes known to be linked to PFAS use or discharge; and

• whether to require all entities subject to proposed rules 15A NCAC 02B .0512 and 15A NCAC 02H .0923 to submit all analytical results for all PFAS chemicals analyzed according to EPA Test Method 1633A to DEQ.   

The public is invited to attend the public hearings to provide written and verbal comments on the proposed rules, the associated regulatory impact analysis, and on the specific topics as requested by the EMC. 

Speaking time may be limited based on attendance to allow everyone an opportunity to be heard. Written comments and copies of prepared remarks will be accepted at each hearing. The proposed rules are available online: EMC proposed rules. The proposed rule text can also be found online.