WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKZO AM/FM) — Tuesday, U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to protect all Americans and the environment from harmful forever chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
- See Also – View the video announcement of this legislation on Facebook at this link.
The package establishes a national drinking water standard for select PFAS chemicals, designates as hazardous to allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up contaminated sites in Michigan and across the country, as well as list under the Clean Water Act, limits industrial discharges, and provides $200 million annually to assist water utilities and wastewater treatment.
“PFAS contamination represents a clear and present danger to Michigan families,” Upton said in a statement. “And, as Parchment made crystal clear, we need an all-hands-on-deck effort to protect both human health and our environment. This bipartisan legislation will ensure we’re treating PFAS as a hazardous chemical and giving our agencies the resources to clean up sites for the betterment of our communities.”
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. (Photo courtesy debbiedingell.house.gov).
Rep. Dingell also released a statement.
“Let’s be very clear, PFAS is an urgent public health and environmental threat. And the number of contamination sites nationwide is growing at an alarming rate, including our military bases,” Rep. Dingell said. “The PFAS Action Act is a sweeping and comprehensive legislative package which has strong bipartisan support to address the PFAS crisis in the United States. It’s time that these chemicals are properly addressed to protect the American people from the hazardous substances we know these forever chemicals are. Setting drinking water standards and designating PFAS as hazardous substances under the EPA’s Superfund program will accelerate the clean-up process in communities and at military facilities all across this nation.”
She continued,
“The American people need the PFAS Action Act enacted into law without delay. I look forward to working with the new administration, as well as all my colleagues on the Energy & Commerce Committee to get this passed the House again and enacted. And I call on all my Senate colleagues from both sides to make this legislation a true priority this Congress.”
As written, the PFAS Action Act would do the following to protect air, land, and water from harmful PFAS contamination:
- Require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a national drinking water standard for PFOA and PFOS within two years that protects public health, including the health of vulnerable subpopulations.
- Designate PFOA and PFOS chemicals as hazardous substances within one year and requires EPA to determine whether to list other PFAS within five years.
- Designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous air pollutants within 180 days and requires EPA to determine whether to list other PFAS within five years.
- Require EPA to place discharge limits on industrial releases of PFAS and provides $200 million annually for wastewater treatment.
- Prohibit unsafe incineration of PFAS wastes and places a moratorium on the introduction of new PFAS into commerce.
- Require comprehensive PFAS health testing.
- Create a voluntary label for PFAS in cookware.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 328 military sites across the United States have PFAS contamination and over 200 million Americans are drinking contaminated water. The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team has so far identified 162 sites across the state with PFAS contamination.
“We need deadlines to ensure that EPA will take the steps need to reduce PFAS releases into our and water, to filter PFAS out of tap water, and to clean up legacy PFAS pollution, especially near DOD facilities,” EWG’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber said in a statement. “We applaud Reps. Dingell and Upton for continuing to make PFAS pollution a priority.”
Read more about the legislation introduced at this link.
