Governor Maggie Hassan issued the following statement on a bipartisan vote by the Executive Council to approve contracts for the Department of Health and Human Services blood testing program in response to water contaminated by perfluorochemicals (PFCs) at the Pease International Tradeport and in municipalities in southern New Hampshire:
"The quality and safety of drinking water is critical to public health and safety, and those who have been exposed to these emerging contaminants in their water understandably have many concerns about their own health and the health of their children. A blood testing program is an important part of a comprehensive response to contaminated water, which also includes providing bottled water as appropriate, working on site remediation and long-term water treatment solutions, evaluating the health risks associated with these emerging contaminants and communicating with the medical community. I am grateful that the Executive Council has approved this important contract so that we can begin this new blood testing program, and I will continue pushing state agencies, the EPA and other federal partners to respond aggressively to contaminated water."