The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized the first-ever national drinking water standard for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), including Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko, Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer of Virginia, Matt Cartwright, Sean Casten, Chellie Pingree, and Katie Porter, and Chair Emeritus Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, sent a letter to the Biden Administration in February 2024 encouraging swift finalization of the proposed drinking water standard for Americans.
“We are pleased that the Biden Administration heard our call to finalize a strong national drinking water standard for PFAS. EPA successfully ‘followed the science’ and set science-based limits for dangerous PFAS chemicals that pose a particular threat to the American people. Public water systems will need to monitor these toxic chemicals, notify the public when PFAS contamination is present, and work to reduce PFAS levels within their water systems. This new regulation is expected to result in $1.5 billion in annual health benefits by reducing tens of thousands of serious illnesses and preventing thousands of deaths across the country,” SEEC members said today in response to the EPA’s finalization.
The SEEC is a coalition of 96 members of the U.S. House of Representatives founded in January 2009 to be a focused, active and effective coalition for advancing policies that address climate change, promote clean energy innovation and domestic manufacturing, develop renewable energy resources, create family-sustaining clean jobs, protect our nation’s air, water, and natural environment, and promote environmental justice.
“The tide is turning for communities who have long waited for answers to the ever-present problem of PFAS pollution. Armed with the $9 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to combat PFAS exposure, our municipalities now have a national call to action to address PFAS contamination and deliver clean water for our communities. From day one, we at SEEC have been proud to support the Biden Administration in following through on our collective commitment to address emerging contaminants and ensure that all Americans have access to clean and safe drinking water.”
Share
Rebecca Barnabi
