WASHINGTON – The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing today to consider a number of legislative proposals that would begin to address the growing public health crisis from exposure to the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS.
The series of bills include measures to direct federal resources and agencies to take steps to identify contaminated sites, set a health-protective PFAS drinking water standard, add PFAS chemicals to EPA’s annual Toxic Release Inventory, and require the Pentagon and other departments to better coordinate cleanup at facilities owned by the federal government.
Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs, testified at the hearing. He called on Congress to act swiftly to get control of the ballooning threat from PFAS chemicals in communities across the country. Faber said:
To address the growing PFAS contamination crisis, Congress should address ongoing sources of PFAS contamination, measure the scope of existing PFAS contamination, notify communities impacted by PFAS contamination, and dramatically accelerate efforts to clean up PFAS contamination. More broadly, Congress should reform our federal environmental and public health laws to better address the threats posed by contaminants like PFAS.
Faber’s prepared testimony can be found here.
EWG has called on the Trump administration and Congress to take a series of steps to protect the public from further exposure to PFAS chemicals, including:
- Identify PFAS pollution sources.
- Identify the scope of PFAS contamination.
- End new PFAS releases.
- Set PFAS cleanup standards.
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The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
