McCollum Statement on Final Rule Limiting ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it has finalized a rule that will set the first-ever nationwide drinking water standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the “forever chemicals” that are dangerous to human health:

“Reducing the contamination of ‘forever chemicals’ in our drinking water has been a high priority of mine in Congress,”Congresswoman McCollum said. “The EPA’s announcement is good news to protect the health and safety of the American people, and I applaud EPA for following the science to issue these strict limits on multiple PFAS. As the top Democrat on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I have secured more than half a billion dollars in federal funding to address PFAS, and I look forward to working together with partners on the federal, state, and local levels to ensure all of our communities have safe drinking water.

“Importantly, this rule regulates cumulative exposures of PFAS and limits these contaminants collectively using a hazard index formula. This is an important step, recognizing that collective exposure, not just individual levels, puts people at risk. I am proud to have supported federal funding within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will be critical to ensuring that every community is able to implement these standards. I applaud the Minnesota Legislature for their leadership back home in addressing PFAS and taking this issue seriously. Working together, we are committed to keeping our communities safe.”

Background:

• The rule regulates PFOA and PFOS, two of the most prevalent and most studied PFAS chemicals, at a maximum contaminant level of 4 parts per trillion (ppt). This is generally considered the lowest amount that can be reliably detected.
• The rule would set individual limits on three other PFAS contaminants at 10ppt: PFNA, PFHxS, and GenX (HFPO-DA).
• Additionally, the rule would regulate cumulative exposure to four PFAS as a mixture: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX (HFPO-DA). EPA will limit these contaminants collectively using a hazard index formula, based on available health and risk data for these chemicals. If the combination of these chemical concentrations exceeds the risk threshold set by EPA, then water treatment to reduce PFAS levels would be required.
• Water treatment providers will be required to monitor for all of these PFAS.
• Rep. McCollum secured more than half a billion dollars in defense funding to address PFAS during her time as Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in the 117^th Congress. The vast majority of the funding has gone toward PFAS remediation and cleanup, while tens of millions of dollars were directed to research on PFAS detection, destruction, and remediation technologies.
• Rep. McCollum recognizes that where PFAS is a critical component in addressing national security needs, including CHIP manufacturing, new alternatives must be found immediately. In cases where no alternatives yet exist, the use of PFAS must be strictly controlled.
• Nearly $1 billion in newly available funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been announced to help states and territories implement PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems and to help owners of private wells address PFAS contamination. This is part of a $9 billion investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help communities with drinking water impacted by PFAS and other emerging contaminants – the largest-ever investment in tackling PFAS pollution. An additional $12 billion is available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for general drinking water improvements, including addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS.
• More information on Rep. McCollum’s work on PFAS is available here.

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