EPA Obtains Over $450 Million In Penalties and Relief in Agreement with Chemours to Settle Claims Over PFAS Pollution in Three States
The chemical company will better control its pollution to reduce water contamination, install pollution controls, and supply safe drinking water to affected communities in three states
June 24, 2026
Contact Information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) announced the first comprehensive federal settlement with a major PFAS manufacturer, Chemours. EPA alleges that Chemours released PFAS into the Cape Fear River (North Carolina), the Delaware River (New Jersey), and the Ohio River (West Virginia) — in some cases without required permits, and in other cases in violation of those permits.
Under this landmark $450 million settlement agreement, Chemours will spend over $337 million on injunctive relief, including an estimated $280 million to provide alternative drinking water, $60 million to ensure compliance with the law at its West Virginia facility, and additional funds to ensure compliance at its other facilities. Additionally, Chemours will conduct projects under a multi-year, government-supervised $90 million PFAS mitigation program.
The company violated requirements under federal and state clean water, toxic substances, and hazardous waste laws. PFAS — short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are a group of man-made chemicals used to make products resistant to water, grease, and stains. They do not break down easily in the environment or in the human body, and they have been linked to serious health risks.
The settlement will resolve the company’s liability under the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act. This action further advances EPA’s “polluter pays” commitment, holding accountable those who have significantly contributed to the release of these “forever chemicals.”
“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,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “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.”
“This landmark settlement shows the Administration’s commitment to protecting the public from harmful water pollution,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “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.”
"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," said West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey. "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. We look forward to continuing those discussions and achieving an outcome that serves the best interests of the Mountain State."
The settlement addresses alleged CWA and West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act violations, including unauthorized discharges and permit violations. The settlement also addresses Chemours’ alleged violations of TSCA requirements associated with environmental release restrictions for multiple PFAS, including restrictions on releases to air and water at four facilities in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Finally, the settlement addresses alleged RCRA violations of accepting shipments of hazardous waste in violation of its RCRA permit and unauthorized storage of hazardous waste. In addition to addressing PFAS contamination, the settlement also resolves other environmental violations.
Under the settlement Chemours will:
-
Bring its facilities back into compliance with the law.
-
Complete 14 treatment system projects to reduce PFAS in wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater at its West Virginia facility.
-
Control releases of GenX (a type of PFAS) from each facility at an efficiency of at least 99%.
-
Test drinking water and provide treated or alternative water to communities near its plants in West Virginia and New Jersey.
-
Implement controls at its North Carolina facility based on recommendations from an independent engineering firm.
-
Start enhanced leak detection programs and conduct engineering reviews to assess and reduce additional PFAS releases.
-
Certify that it is properly storing hazardous waste.
-
Undertake projects under a multi-year, government-supervised $90 million mitigation program.
Pursuant to EPA policy, Chemours was assessed a $22.5 million civil penalty based on ability to pay. This amount was set after the EPA and DOJ reviewed Chemours' financial records. The settlement allows Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS for critical commercial and military applications, including those where substitutes are not readily available, while preventing future contamination and protecting communities from that contamination.
The proposed consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The public has 30 days to comment before the court considers approving it. The full complaint and proposed settlement agreement are available on the Justice Department's Proposed Consent Decree webpage.
Administrator Zeldin has been fighting PFAS contamination since his time in Congress, where he helped found the PFAS Congressional Taskforce and supported legislation to fund community cleanup efforts. As a representative from Long Island, an area heavily affected by PFAS contamination, he has seen firsthand how these chemicals can impact families and communities.
During President Trump’s first term, EPA convened a two-day National Leadership Summit on PFAS in Washington, D.C. that brought together more than 200 federal, state, and local leaders from across the country to discuss steps to address PFAS.
In 2019, EPA announced the PFAS Action Plan. This historic plan responded to extensive public interest and input the agency received and represented the first time EPA built a multi-media, multi-program, national communication and research plan to address an emerging environmental challenge like PFAS. EPA’s Action Plan identified both short-term solutions for addressing these chemicals and long-term strategies that will help provide the tools and technologies states, tribes, and local communities need to provide safe drinking water to their residents and to address PFAS at the source — even before it gets into the water.
On April 28, 2025, EPA Administrator Zeldin announced major EPA actions to combat PFAS contamination, both regulatory actions and initiatives to engage with Congress and industry to establish a clear liability framework that ensures the polluter pays and passive receivers are protected. Read the press release.
|
