Senate Bill 518 Summary

• Department of Environmental Quality shall establish a PFAS Task Force to comprehensively identify and analyze per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including GenX and 1,4-Dioxane in the Lower Cape Fear River Basin (Cumberland, Bladen, Columbus, Brunswick, and New Hanover counties) across ground and surface waters, private wells, air, soil, dust, food, and garden/farm products.

• Task Force shall identify responsible parties for PFAS discharge or emissions, develop a biomonitoring study program to measure toxic chemical concentrations in exposed population groups, and formulate maximum allowable standards for PFAS contaminants based on available scientific research, with a precautionary standard of 10 ppt recommended if no science-based standards exist.

• Task Force shall complete its work by December 31, 2020, submit quarterly reports to the Environmental Review Commission beginning July 1, 2019, and serve as a pilot program for future statewide initiatives addressing public health contamination concerns.

• Secretary shall order responsible parties to establish permanent replacement water supplies for affected households, businesses, schools, and public buildings, with preference for public water supply connections but allowing filtration systems as an alternative if cost-effective.

• State Controller shall transfer $270,000,000 from the Savings Reserve Account to the General Fund for fiscal year 2019-2020 to immediately install filtration systems for all identified affected parties, with cost recovery sought from responsible parties.