Call on Congress to pass legislation to protect Americans’ drinking water from PFAS

Continuing to allow the widespread use of toxic PFAS that last forever virtually guarantees that our sources of drinking water will become contaminated. That’s why we’re urging Congress to act now – to move our economy from PFAS to safer alternatives and to strictly limit exposures and health damage as long as these chemicals remain in our environment. Tennessee Riverkeeper is sending this letter to the U.S. Senate in support of federal PFAS legislation that will protect our drinking water.


Dear Senators:

We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to pass legislation to protect Americans’ drinking water from the class of toxic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Every American should feel confident that the water coming out of our taps is both clean and safe. Unfortunately, the drinking water of millions of Americans across the nation is contaminated by PFAS, which are linked to cancer and other severe illnesses.

PFAS don’t break down in the environment, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.” Due to their widespread use in everything from non-stick pans to firefighting foam, these toxic chemicals can now be found almost everywhere across our country. In addition to contamination from manufacturing sites and products, the U.S. Department of Defense has already identified nearly 700 military bases across the country with known or potential PFAS contamination — and the number of contaminated sites continues to grow, endangering nearby communities. Research links PFAS exposure in humans to cancer, immune system deficiencies, high cholesterol and low fertility, and even developmental issues in children and infants. Moreover, the health impacts of PFAS are magnified because the chemicals persist in the environment indefinitely and many of them accumulate in the food chain.

In short, allowing the widespread use of toxic chemicals that last forever virtually guarantees that our sources of drinking water will become contaminated. That’s why we’re urging Congress to act now – to move our economy from PFAS to safer alternatives and to strictly limit exposures and health damage as long as these chemicals remain in our environment.

Specifically, such legislation should include the following provisions:

- Prohibit the use of PFAS in firefighting foam
- Designate all PFAS as "hazardous substances" under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
- Direct EPA to Issue drinking water standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act for all PFAS within two years
- Direct EPA to complete its effluent limitation guidelines for PFAS, which based on available technology should effectively end the dumping of these toxic chemicals into our waterways, within two years.

While the above provisions are the most critical to protecting America’s drinking water from PFAS contamination, Congress can and should also direct EPA to take additional steps in a timely manner, including:

- Require testing of all PFAS for toxicity to human health under the Toxic Substances Control Act within four years
- Investigate methods and means to prevent GenX (a newer type of PFAS) contamination of surface waters
- Establish a school PFAS testing and filtration grant program within one year
- Require covered manufacturers of PFAS to submit reference standards to EPA within six months
- Designate PFOA and PFOS as "hazardous air pollutants" pursuant to the Clean Air Act within six months and determine if other PFAS should be added within five years
- Establish PFAS-related testing and pre-treatment requirements for the land application or distribution of bio-solids (e.g., sludge or sludge-derived compost) within four years.

For too many communities all across America, PFAS and its harmful effects were something residents learned about only after discovering that their drinking water had been contaminated for years or after experiencing serious PFAS-related health issues. PFAS contamination impacts all 50 states, so we urge Congress to come together to agree on a comprehensive solution that will work to protect the whole nation. To that end, we call on Congress to ensure that no more American communities need suffer the impacts of these toxic forever chemicals by passing legislation that implements the above reforms to turn off the tap on toxic PFAS pollution as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Tennessee Riverkeeper, et al...