Source: Fortune.com
Summary
Chemours Co. has agreed to pay $22.5 million in civil penalties and spend $90 million over 15 years to mitigate PFAS discharges in three states: West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey. The settlement, filed in federal court in West Virginia, also requires Chemours to install PFAS pollution controls and supply clean drinking water to communities near its sites. The total cost of the penalties and relief programs is estimated to be at least $450 million.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
Chemours’ settlement with the Trump administration is a costly reminder of the company’s past environmental violations. The agreement requires Chemours to pay $22.5 million in civil penalties and spend millions more to mitigate PFAS discharges in three states. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is expected to propose softening limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water, a move that has raised concerns among environmental groups.
Original observation: The settlement is a classic case of “paying to pollute,” where a company is allowed to continue operating while paying for the environmental damage it has caused.
Author: Evan Null
