Upton Announces PFAS Legislation

drinking-water-safe
drinking-water-safe

Legislation that would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to take action on PFAS in water supplies is being re-introduced in the U.S. House by Congressman Fred Upton and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. Upton said the PFAS Action Act would establish a national drinking water standard for PFAS, require the EPA to list PFAS contaminated sites for clean-up under the Clean Water Act, and set deadlines for the EPA to act.

“What this legislation intends to do is get the EPA on our side,” Upton said. “We need a partner. We need a partner who can battle this, to identify those hotspots, and work with companies across the nation to inform consumers.”

Upton and Dingell were joined by Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group and actor Mark Ruffalo, who is a clean water advocate.

“In this divided climate we’re in, water’s a really good way for us to find common ground,” Ruffalo said. “All of the years ‘ve been working on water, it transcends politics.”

PFAS are industrial chemicals used in a variety of products that have been found in water supplies around the country, especially on military sites. They’ve been identified as cancer-causing. Faber said after decades of inaction, the PFAS Action Act would require the EPA to address the situation. The legislation passed the House last year but not the Senate. Upton and Dingell are now trying again.