Pallone & Tonko Celebrate Groundbreaking Drinking Water Standards for Toxic PFAS Chemicals
EPA’s Final Rule Implements National Drinking Water Standards for Six PFAS Chemicals Which the Agency is Pairing with a $1 Billion Investment in Our Nation’s Water Systems
Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Ranking Member Paul Tonko (D-NY) released the following statement today applauding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, which is being accompanied with a $1 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in our nation’s water systems:
“PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are toxic, dangerous, and have absolutely no business being in Americans’ drinking water. The fact they are being found in water systems across the country, combined with the severe health risks they pose even at low levels, makes today’s announcement a welcome development to an urgent and growing public health threat.
“We are thrilled the Biden EPA is stepping up to tackle this crisis with strong, enforceable drinking water standards to protect Americans from six insidious PFAS chemicals. Every American deserves to know the water coming out of their tap is safe, and today’s announcement is a tremendous step toward making that a reality. We also applaud EPA for pairing these new standards with a $1 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – funding we fought hard to include, knowing how important it is that our water systems receive the resources they need to keep Americans’ water safe.
“There is still important work to do, and many more PFAS chemicals that must be scrutinized, but these new standards are a strong and admirable first step. We commend the Biden Administration for being a dedicated partner in this fight and will keep working closely with EPA to protect every American’s right to safe, clean drinking water.”
PFAS are a class of toxic chemicals – often referred to as “forever chemicals” for how long they take to break down – that have been linked to cancer, damage to the immune system, and negative effects on growth, development, and fertility. Last Congress, Democrats included $9 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help communities address PFAS contamination in our drinking water.
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