WASHINGTON — The Trump administration reached a multi-state settlement with Chemours Co. in 2025 regarding illegal discharges of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The settlement resolves federal enforcement claims against a manufacturer of PFAS chemicals.

Details of the settlement were filed in federal court in West Virginia. Chemours will pay a civil penalty of $22.5 million for alleged violations and spend $90 million over 15 years to mitigate PFAS discharges in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey. The settlement determined that Chemours facilities discharged PFAS into the Ohio River, Cape Fear River, and Delaware River in violation of permits required by the Clean Water Act and state laws. Chemours also violated legal requirements under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act at all three facilities.

Chemours agreed to install PFAS pollution controls for surface water discharges and air emissions at a West Virginia facility at an estimated cost of $60 million. The company will supply clean drinking water to communities near its West Virginia and New Jersey sites at an estimated cost of $280 million. Additionally, Chemours will test drinking water near the West Virginia and New Jersey sites and provide treated or alternative clean water. In North Carolina, Chemours agreed to implement controls to reduce releases of PFAS and other toxic chemicals from its facility.

The settlement allows Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS for commercial and military applications. "The Trump administration recognizes the important role of Chemours for it commercial and military obligations," said Adam Gustafson, principal deputy assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. "The settlement protects public health while preserving that important balance."

"The settlement against a major PFAS manufacturer delivers on the Trump administration's promise to make polluters pay and stop PFAS contamination at the source," said Jeffrey Hall, assistant EPA administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance. Officials said people living near the facilities were exposed to illegal PFAS as a result of the alleged violations, which continued for over a decade, according to the Justice Department. This settlement does not resolve DuPont's liability for past PFAS violations, nor does the federal settlement affect the state case in New Jersey.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin ordered Chemours to stop discharging unlawful levels of chemicals into the Ohio River from the Washington Works plant in West Virginia in August 2025. He stated, "The pollutants endanger the environment, aquatic life and human health." Separately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to formally roll back parts of the first-ever limits on PFAS in drinking water, which were finalized during the Biden administration. "The agency is committed to addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water while following the law and ensuring that regulatory compliance is achievable for drinking water systems," said Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator.