Hey Chemours: Practice What You Preach
The Chemours Company stock continues to rise. Clean Cape Fear has sent emails to a dozen or so financial media outlets with information about the company's contamination of our river. We have not heard back.
A member of Clean Cape Fear just sent the CEO of Chemours an email. Let's help make sure this email reaches Mr. Vergnano and encourages him to do the right thing! Please forward to your friends - especially those with national or financial media connections.
Here's a copy of the email sent:
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Email Sent: September 22, 2017
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Dear Mr. Vergnano,
My name is Emily Donovan. I'm a faith leader and founding member of Clean Cape Fear--an alliance of advocacy groups working to bring transparency and clarity to the water quality of the Cape Fear River.
When scientists found large quantities of toxic chemicals coming from your Fayetteville Works Site into our river that impacts the drinking water of approx. 250,000 residents downstream, we started researching ways to create transparency and unite the community.
A lot of residents are concerned and angry. I'm sure you are aware of this. Many fear this is "another Parkersburg, WV all over again." It appears some of the chemicals in our drinking water have been there for 37 years.
My question to you, does this really have to be like Parkerburg? Can it be different? Wouldn't it be radically amazing if Chemours came out bold and strong saying we care about human health and our impact on the environment? We are complying with all requests from the government and want every household affected to have access to the resources they need to feel at peace with this continuing story.
I believe we, as humans, do want to do the right thing. We are each others keepers. With that in mind, I see a tremendous opportunity for Chemours to show real stewardship and leadership in the midst of this regional crisis. To set a corporate standard that inspires others wirh real ACTION that Americans are hungry to consume. We want to see corporations do the right thing. We are starved for this kind of news.
Sadly, it has been radio silence from Chemours since the one and only closed door meeting your representatives had with public officials in Wilmington, NC back in June 2017.
I see an opportunity for Chemours to operate differently than the DuPont of Parkersburg, WV. To show the public Chemours can learn from the mistakes of others and regardless of pending litigation is not afraid to work in good faith to ease anxiety and uncertainty within the communities impacted. I image any steps voluntarily taken by Chemours are seen favorably in a court of law.
Our towns are dealing with persistent toxic chemicals from DuPont, and to some extent Chemours, in our river and our pipes. I also know you want to take Chemours in an innovative direction--to create environmentally friendly products that don't harm people or the environment. To make these products in a way that is responsible AND sustainable. I know you want to prove to your investors that environmentally friendly companies CAN be profitable AND are not afraid to do the right thing. Sadly, from our perspective in Wilmington we're not sure this is happening. Can you change this? Do you have that power and authority?
At the moment we are concerned for the most vulnerable populations--developing children, nursing and/or pregnant women. We would love to see you offer relief to these people. Imagine the news story we could generate if Chemours voluntarily offered to lease reverse osmosis filling stations in every public school and daycare facility that draws water from the Cape Fear River down stream of your Fayetteville Works site. Imagine the next investor relations meeting where you get to tell the financial community "Chemours practices what it preaches."
Clean Cape Fear is currently working with public schools in New Hanover and Brunswick counties to get clean water options into the schools for parents who are still concerned about consuming the tap water. Can you help us?
This is just one ask of many you have the power to implement. Imagine if you, personally, joined us at a community meeting to unveil a Clean Water Promise. Imagine if you offered to partner with local water distribution companies to provide clean water to any resident interested in participating while our municipal utilities work to get their treatment systems upgraded.
Imagine if these words you shared on your website could translate into REAL action: "And we have a great two-hundred-year-old legacy from DuPont to build upon . . . a legacy of safety and the highest ethical standards, respect for the environment and people."
Since the EPA released their data on Nafion Byproducts 1&2 we are looking into hosting another community forum to address questions and concerns related to this new information. Clean Cape Fear has hosted 3 of the 6 community forums on GenX since June. Would you, or Paul Kirsch, be available to participate? Imagine how quickly you could turn this ship around if you or Paul attended this event and unveiled a Clean Water Promise to our community.
I look forward to your response. Thank you in advanced for your time and considerations.
Blessings,
Emily Donovan