“Forever Chemical” Pollution Lands Lumber River as #4 America’s Most Endangered Rivers ® List of 2026

CONTACT: 
Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org
Jeff Currie, Winyah Rivers Alliance, 843-349-4007, lumberrk@winyahrivers.org
Maia Hutt, Senior Attorney, 919-967-1450, mhutt@selc.org

Washington, D.C. — American Rivers today named the Lumber River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2026, due to the escalating impacts of PFAS or “forever chemicals” pollution. Known for its dark, tea-colored waters, the river provides natural flood storage, is a vital source of drinking water, supports wildlife, and the health of communities that rely on the river. 

The ancestral homeland of the Lumbee People, the Lumber River, also known as the Lumbee River, flows through southeastern North Carolina into South Carolina, shaping wetlands, bottomland forests, and rural communities along its course. 

“The river is home for the Lumbee people. It is a place of refuge and sanctuary that has provided shelter for Native people, our ancestors, who needed a place to survive and sustain themselves during the onslaught of Colonization,” said Jefferson Currie II, an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and Lumber Riverkeeper. “The river and waterways are special and revered. It’s where we live and raise families, catch fish to sustain us, swim, and where we gather to share a meal, or hold church baptisms and ceremonies.”

“The Lumber River is a lifeline for communities across North and South Carolina and the first blackwater river ever designated as a National Wild and Scenic River,” said Donna Myers, Southeast associate director of conservation for American Rivers. “Communities should not be exposed to toxic ‘forever chemicals’ because of outdated infrastructure. We need immediate investment in water treatment, wastewater systems, and landfills to stop this contamination before it enters this impressive and unique waterway.”

Industries that manufacture or use PFAS have failed to control their toxic pollution at its source, leaving underfunded, publicly-owned water treatment plants, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants to clean up the mess. 

For example, Robeson County landfill, which accepted PFAS-laden waste for decades, has contaminated nearby groundwater and Big Marsh Swamp – a tributary of the Lumber River. The Rocco Water Treatment Plant, located just half a mile from the landfill, lacks the infrastructure needed to remove PFAS before distributing water into the County-wide public water system. Testing required by the federal government shows that Rocco’s finished water has the highest total PFAS levels of any water treatment plant in North Carolina and the highest Gen-X levels of any groundwater-based system in the United States.

“Communities in the Lumber River Basin have had their water supply, and their beloved river, contaminated by PFAS pollution for too long. We need to hold polluters accountable and empower our most overburdened communities by funding improvements to water treatment plants, landfills, and other critical infrastructure.” said Maia Hutt, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center.

PFAS pollution is wreaking havoc downstream in South Carolina, where many people rely on subsistence fishing to feed their families and maintain food security.  South Carolina’s Department of Environmental Services had recommended that people, especially at-risk populations, reduce their consumption of fish known to bioaccumulate PFAS.

“Recently we’ve learned that PFAS pollution is even worse than we thought,” says Currie. “The level of toxic PFAS in the Robeson County landfill is staggering, and it is hurting the river, our ecosystems, and our communities.”

In addition to PFAS, pollution from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), slaughterhouses, and meatpacking facilities contributes to large volumes of waste that can enter waterways through runoff, spills, or inadequate controls. These pollutants degrade water quality, fuel harmful algal blooms, lower oxygen levels, contribute to fish kills, and introduce harmful bacteria that make waters unsafe for recreation.

“Even now, the river and the groundwater are contaminated, and residents are paying the bill for water they worry is unsafe to drink. We’ve got to do better to take care of our environment and each other,” said Currie.

American Rivers and its partners are calling on state and federal leaders to act now by investing in critical water infrastructure needed to protect the Lumber River Basin and its communities from PFAS pollution. This includes funding, staffing, and upgrades for drinking water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, and landfills that are struggling with PFAS pollution. These targeted investments can stop PFAS pollution from further harming this iconic river and the people who rely on it.  

For more details on this river and the full America’s Most Endangered Rivers® list of 2026, including the selection process, click here. 

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American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 4.4 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and the strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers®. AmericanRivers.org

The mission of the Southern Environmental Law Center is to protect the basic right to clean air, clean water, and a livable climate; to preserve our region’s natural treasures and rich biodiversity; and to provide a healthy environment for all.