Chemours wants to expand, neighbors express concerns during information session
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Chemours wants to expand production at its Fayetteville Works Plant in Bladen County. The company held an information session for residents Tuesday evening at Bladen Community College.
While that project is still in the beginning phases, Plant Manager Dawn Hughes says the company is still working to remove toxic chemicals it released into the Cape Fear River.
“Those legacy emissions are being addressed,” said Hughes. “Through the remediation projects, those are continuing.”
Dana Sargent with Cape Fear River Watch opposes Chemours’s expansions, saying the fact that thousands of residents have had their drinking water contaminated shows why Chemours should not expand.
“The audacity to suggest that an expansion of PFAS manufacturing in this community is good for us is filled with nothing but greed,” said Sargent. “And that is just the status quo for this company.”
Chemours says its goal is to continue to remove those legacy PFAS compounds without increasing future emissions.
“We’re not asking for the expansion plans and not driving reductions in emissions or addressing the legacy historic contamination that has occurred,” said Hughes.
Sargent and a group of several dozen residents say enough is enough.
“They’re finding tons of PFAS in the wells in our region,” said Sargent. “So this 500,000 [people] is now increasing in our region. And you know, this company claiming that they’re going to expand and that is going to be a positive impact is absolutely ridiculous, and that community does not want to hear it.”
Since Chemours did not allow for formal public comment at its information session Tuesday, those opposed to the project gathered nearby to voice their frustrations.
“We’re going to fight this project all the way through,” said Sargent. “We’re going to try to make sure that they need a permit, we’re going to try to make sure that the permit is denied.”
Chemours will hold another public information session tomorrow night from 5:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. at the Leland Cultural Arts Center in Brunswick County. Cape Fear River Watch says it will also be holding another public comment session in opposition outside at the same time.
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