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Opinion: Trump and RFK Jr. will add to water challenges in North Carolina

By Radha Adhar

October 28, 2024

Wilmington is an ideal place for any kid who loves playing outside to grow up. Rivers, beaches, and estuaries doubled as playgrounds and classrooms, instilling my love of nature that endures to this day. The last thing we’d ever want is to see the region’s waterways jeopardized—but our worst nightmares have come true.

The terrible truth is that Wilmington’s waters have become ground zero in the fight against per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as “forever chemicals,” or PFAS. For decades, chemical companies in the area dumped PFAS into the Cape Fear River’s watershed, and the impacts are only beginning to be understood. PFAS chemicals have earned that moniker because they don’t break down in the environment—instead, they linger in our waterways and our soil for decades.

As someone who’s had the privilege of serving as a policy advisor in the Senate and as Special Assistant in the White House to President Biden on environmental issues, I’ve seen firsthand how vital leadership at the federal level is when it comes to tackling environmental disasters like PFAS in my hometown. 

Wilmington’s PFAS problem isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a public health issue. PFAS are linked to higher rates of cancer, liver damage, immune system disorders, and reproductive issues. As the chemicals linger in the environment, they accumulate in our bodies, posing long-term risks. Wilmington and the surrounding Cape Fear region have borne the brunt of this crisis, with thousands of residents exposed to these dangerous substances for years. 

The Biden-Harris administration has taken the PFAS pollution like the evolving crisis it is, setting national drinking water standards, accelerating clean-up efforts at contaminated sites, and requiring manufacturers to report PFAS releases. These measures are critical steps toward cleaning up problems that have grown unchecked for decades, while heading off future threats to our community. The Biden-Harris administration also championed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocated billions of dollars to help states and communities upgrade water systems and address PFAS contamination.

What would a Trump Administration’s approach be? Vastly different. You don’t have to take my word for it – just look at his plans and his past. During his term in office, Trump not only gutted the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce the law, he weakened PFAS safeguards, allowing the contamination crisis to deepen across the country, including here in North Carolina. 

His disregard for the health impacts of these chemicals has left lasting damage, and a second Trump term would almost certainly make things worse. In fact, the Project 2025 handbook that threatens to be Trump’s own policy roadmap would handcuff the EPA from tackling PFAS. Moreover, one of former President Trump’s closest advisors, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been floated as a potential leader of EPA. Yikes. Do we really want someone who peddles conspiracy theories and spreads misinformation to be in charge of an issue impacting our kids public health? 

From my time in Washington, I’ve learned that it takes strong leadership and an ability to work with all sides to get tough safeguards over the finish line to protect our families. From my time growing up in North Carolina, I’ve learned that it’s important to care about the health of our neighbors and protect our beautiful beaches and waterways for generations to come. Wilmington and communities across North Carolina need that kind of leadership now more than ever.

Author

  • Radha Adhar

    Radha Adhar grew up in Wilmington and graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In recent years, she served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Senate and three different roles in the Biden Administration; first as head of EPA's Congressional Affairs, then as Legislative Director at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and finally as Special Assistant to the President.

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