Federal Judge Orders Chemours To Immediately Stop Polluting Ohio River

"A U.S. district judge said the chemical company exposes residents along the river to “real and ongoing harm” from toxic forever chemicals. He ordered the Washington Works plant to comply immediately with its pollution permit. " 

"A federal judge ordered the Chemours Chemical Company on Thursday to immediately stop discharging unlawful levels of cancer-causing chemicals into the Ohio River from the company’s Washington Works plant. 

“Those pollutants endanger the environment, aquatic life, and human health,” U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin wrote in the order. “Today, that unlawful, unpermitted discharge stops.”

The West Virginia Rivers Coalition asked Goodwin in February to require the former DuPont, now Chemours, Washington Works facility to immediately comply with its permit limits after violating it for more than five years. The coalition’s request came after the group initially sued Chemours in December over the violations.

In Thursday’s order, Goodwin wrote that the Chemours’ Washington Works facility “boldly violates” its permit, and must meet its permit limits until the full case is heard later this year."

Sarah Elbeshbishi reports for Mountain State Spotlight August 7, 2025.

Source: Mountain State Spotlight, 08/08/2025