NC Reaches $590M PFAS Settlement With DuPont & Chemours
North Carolina has reached a $590 million agreement with DuPont and Chemours over decades of PFAS contamination from the Fayetteville Works chemical plant in Bladen County. Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson announced the deal on September 10, 2026, calling it the largest environmental damages recovery in state history.
The agreement resolves claims brought by the state and 11 local governments, including New Hanover County, Brunswick County, and the Town of Wrightsville Beach. Counting the roughly $1.2 billion Chemours has already spent complying with a 2019 state consent order, North Carolina’s total recovery now approaches $2 billion.
Rhine Law Firm, P.C. represented the State of North Carolina in the litigation, which sought compensation for state waters and other natural resources damaged by chemicals from DuPont and Chemours. The settlement resolves the state’s case along with numerous smaller actions brought by individual communities.
For families in Wilmington and across the Lower Cape Fear, the settlement is a long-awaited step toward accountability for contamination that reached the region’s drinking water. As Attorney General Jackson put it, “Chemours made this mess, and we’re making sure Chemours cleans it up.”
How the $590 Million Breaks Down
The deal has two parts: $455 million in guaranteed payments to state and local governments, and a $135 million reserve fund that backs Chemours’ ongoing cleanup duties. The guaranteed payments will be made over the next 10 to 15 years.
|
Component |
Amount |
Purpose |
|---|---|---|
|
Local governments |
$380 million |
Divided among the 11 communities that sued over Fayetteville Works pollution |
|
State of North Carolina |
$75 million |
About $55 million goes to the new Emerging Contaminant Mitigation Fund, which helps local governments find and reduce contaminants in drinking water |
|
Reserve fund (DuPont and Corteva) |
$135 million |
Guarantees Chemours’ cleanup and clean-water obligations if the company can’t pay |
The 11 local governments sharing in the $380 million are:
- Bladen County
- Brunswick County
- Columbus County
- Cumberland County
- New Hanover County
- Robeson County
- Sampson County
- Town of Wrightsville Beach
- City of Lumberton
- Village of Bald Head Island
- Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority
A $135 Million Backstop for Clean Drinking Water
The reserve fund protects families who depend on Chemours for safe water. Under DEQ’s 2019 consent order, Chemours must supply clean drinking water to households whose private wells are contaminated with PFAS from Fayetteville Works. If Chemours ever becomes unable to pay for that work, the state can draw on the reserve to keep it going.
The settlement also confirms that DEQ will keep enforcing the consent order for decades to come. According to the state, Chemours has so far:
- Stopped discharging heavily contaminated wastewater from the plant
- Built an underground barrier wall more than a mile long to keep PFAS from seeping into the Cape Fear River
- Installed treatment systems for contaminated groundwater and stormwater
- Added air pollution controls that capture 99.99% of the plant’s PFAS air emissions
- Tested roughly 27,500 private wells across southeastern North Carolina
- Offered filtration systems or other clean water options to about 10,500 families with contaminated wells
How GenX Reached the Cape Fear River
State officials describe southeastern North Carolina as ground zero for GenX, a toxic PFAS compound. DuPont began operating Fayetteville Works in the early 1970s, and by around 1980 the plant was releasing PFAS into the surrounding environment.
For decades, GenX and other PFAS escaped into the air and soil and were discharged directly into the Cape Fear River. That river supplies drinking water to roughly 500,000 people in the region, including much of the Wilmington area.
PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down. They build up in the human body over time through contaminated water, air, and soil. According to the state, exposure has been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, liver damage, and birth defects.
The Road to Settlement
The contamination became public in late 2016, when North Carolina researchers published a study showing unusually high PFAS levels in the Cape Fear River watershed. DEQ moved quickly, filing an emergency injunction in 2017 to stop further releases from the plant.
In 2019, DEQ secured a landmark consent order. It required Chemours to stop discharging its wastewater, control PFAS air emissions, provide filtration to residents with contaminated wells, reduce PFAS in the river, and address every source of contamination at the site. Chemours also paid a $12 million civil penalty, the largest environmental civil penalty in state history.
The North Carolina Department of Justice sued Chemours, DuPont, and their affiliates in 2020, seeking compensation for damage to the state’s natural resources. Governor Josh Stein, who filed that suit as attorney general, credited Jackson and Wilson for carrying it through.
Earlier in 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached its own deal with Chemours without consulting North Carolina officials. That agreement promised just $90 million in environmental projects spread across North Carolina, New Jersey, and West Virginia, with no guarantee any of it would reach this state. Jackson, Stein, and Wilson filed comments opposing it in court. State officials say their new agreement is a major improvement.
PFAS Cases Still Moving Forward
This agreement does not end PFAS litigation in North Carolina. The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s separate lawsuit against Chemours and DuPont continues. That case seeks more cleanup funding for the utility’s service area in Wilmington and parts of New Hanover County, and the new settlement does not affect it.
The Attorney General’s office is also pursuing six cases against manufacturers of AFFF, a PFAS-containing firefighting foam. AFFF has contaminated several military bases, airports, and fire training sites across the state.
Rhine Law Firm’s Role
Rhine Law Firm was proud to represent the State of North Carolina in this case. The firm called the settlement a tremendous victory for the people of North Carolina, one that gives the state the resources to begin repairing the damage done to its drinking water and natural resources.
“We were honored to be a part of this hard-fought battle for our fellow North Carolinians,” said Ruth Sheehan
What This Means for Cape Fear Families
The settlement money goes to state and local governments to fund clean water programs and cleanup, not directly to individual residents. Families who believe PFAS exposure has harmed their health or property may still have questions about their own legal options.
While no settlement can undo decades of contamination, this agreement is an important step in holding DuPont and Chemours responsible for the harm done to southeastern North Carolina’s water, land, and communities.
If you or someone you love has been affected by PFAS or GenX contamination in the Cape Fear region, contact the attorneys at Rhine Law Firm, P.C. to discuss your situation and learn what options may be available to you.
Notes for Review (remove before publishing)
- Firm involvement: Updated with the client’s statement that Rhine Law represented the State of North Carolina. Confirm the firm is comfortable with the quoted line and with describing the settlement as resolving its litigation.
- Internal links: Link the CTA to the firm’s class action and tort hub, or a PFAS/toxic exposure page if one exists. Avoid linking to the Camp Lejeune page as if it were the same contamination.
- Timing: The announcement was September 10, 2026, so dateline the post accordingly rather than calling it “this week.”
- Advertising compliance: Health effects are attributed to the state, and the CTA promises no outcome, consistent with NC attorney advertising rules.
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Rhine Law Firm, P.C. serves clients throughout North Carolina and nationwide, specializing in complex civil litigation led by Joel Rhine. With expertise in personal injury, car accidents, property damage, sex abuse, and more, the firm is passionate about taking on challenging cases. They emphasize providing personalized legal representation, prioritizing their clients’ best interests while offering state-of-the-art legal strategies. Rhine Law Firm’s dedicated attorneys enjoy the fight for justice and are committed to guiding clients through complicated legal processes. The firm offers free consultations, flexible appointment scheduling, and Spanish language services.
