EPA+DOJ propose $450M Chemours PFAS settlement—comment deadline is July 29

EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a proposed PFAS enforcement settlement with Chemours on June 24, 2026—an estimated $450 million package aimed at reducing future PFAS contamination and funding long-term mitigation and drinking-water support in affected communities.

The proposed consent decree is now in a federal public comment period that runs June 29 through July 29, before a federal judge considers whether to approve it.

What EPA and DOJ say Chemours would be required to do

The agencies allege PFAS releases from Chemours facilities into the Ohio River (West Virginia), Cape Fear River (North Carolina), and Delaware River (New Jersey), including alleged permit violations and other legal violations.

Under the proposed agreement, Chemours would 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

In addition, Chemours would conduct projects under a multi-year, government-supervised $90 million PFAS mitigation program.

EPA and DOJ also describe specific compliance requirements, including:

• 14 treatment-system projects to reduce PFAS in wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater at the West Virginia plant
• GenX controls at covered facilities, requiring releases to be controlled at an efficiency of at least 99%
• Drinking-water testing and provision of treated or alternative clean water for communities near the West Virginia and New Jersey plants
• Leak detection and repair programs and engineering reviews to assess and reduce additional PFAS releases

The agreement also includes a $22.5 million civil penalty.

What residents should know about the comment period

The Federal Register notice says comments must be submitted no later than 30 days after the notice’s June 29 publication date, putting the deadline at July 29, 2026.

Comments can be submitted by email or mail to the DOJ ENRD contact listed in the Federal Register notice.

Even if the comment window closes, the settlement is still proposed: the consent decree must be approved by the court after the comment period.

What is not settled yet (including DuPont)

DOJ states that today’s settlement does not resolve DuPont’s liability for forever chemicals, because DuPont previously owned facilities connected to the alleged releases.

What to watch next

• Whether the court moves toward approval after the July 29 comment deadline.
• Whether drinking-water testing and treated/alternative water commitments start as required for communities near the covered facilities.
• Implementation milestones tied to the treatment projects, GenX controls, and PFAS mitigation program described in the consent decree.

Sources

• U.S. EPA news release (June 24, 2026): Chemours PFAS settlement ($450M) with injunctive relief and drinking-water support
• U.S. DOJ Office of Public Affairs press release (June 24, 2026): Chemours $450M PFAS settlement
• Federal Register notice (June 29, 2026): comment instructions for the proposed Chemours consent decree