DuPont Agrees to $42 Million Restoration Plan for Mercury Contamination in South and Shenandoah Rivers

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and Virginia shared their plan to restore these rivers after decades of mercury releases from DuPont’s Waynesboro factory poisoned birds, fish and other aquatic life and left a tainted legacy of 125 miles of river polluted with mercury. In parallel with DuPont’s approved plan to remediate contaminated river sediment, FWS and Virginia assessed the damages to wildlife and the loss of recreational fishing caused by the mercury releases and released a draft Restoration Plan in late 2016 for public comment. The Plan requires DuPont to establish a $42 million fund to pay for habitat and river restoration projects to benefit affected birds, fish and freshwater mussels, as well as refurbishing an outdated Virginia smallmouth bass hatchery in Front Royal. Shenandoah Riverkeeper Mark Frondorf filed comments generally supporting the agreement, but pointing out the need to focus on allocating funds to projects in Waynesboro, the community hardest hit by DuPont’s operations. A federal court judge is currently reviewing public comments and the draft plan, with a final decision expected before summer. We will continue to work with Waynesboro and other communities affected by this industrial pollution to make sure the funds are invested wisely, and the rivers benefit.