Pappas Reiterates Call for Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation to Include Clean Water Standards for PFAS

Press Release

Manchester, NH - Today, at the Environmental Working Group inaugural PFAS Conference Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) reiterated his call for his Clean Water Standards for PFAS legislation to be included in the final bipartisan infrastructure bill. His call came following the release of new information by EWG identifying nearly 30,000 new industrial sites as suspected PFAS dischargers.

"PFAS contamination is a real and present danger to the folks who I represent, and I hear from them every day about this. It's for families like theirs that I represent that I've been so determined to continue advocating for legislation to combat PFAS contamination," said Congressman Pappas. "Currently there are no EPA regulations limiting how much PFAS polluters can discharge into our environment. Especially in light of the new information released by EWG today, we need to pass the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act to ensure our communities have access to clean safe drinking water. The House has passed this legislation as part of our infrastructure package, and we're calling for the Senate to include this legislation in their bill as well so we can get this done. It's time to hold polluters accountable and take a big step towards clean and safe drinking water, which is one of the most basic guarantees of our government."

On July 1, bipartisan infrastructure legislation that Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) helped craft as a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed the House. The legislation contains several priorities Pappas fought for as a member of the Committee, including his Clean Water Standards for PFAS legislation.

Currently, there are no Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations limiting how much PFASpolluters can discharge into the environment. This means that the companies that manufacture products using PFAS chemicals can release PFAS into federally regulated waters unchecked, endangering public health and requiring costly clean-up and treatment efforts to protect drinking water sources. The burden of costly clean-up efforts is often placed on the communities themselves, rather than on the companies responsible for the contamination. The Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act regulates PFAS under the Clean Water Act in order to help stop toxic levels of PFAS from entering water sources in the first place.

Specifically, the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act would do the following:

Require the EPA to develop water quality criteria under the Clean Water Act for all measurable PFAS or classes of PFAS within two years, and develop effluent limitations guidelines and standards for all measurable PFAS or classes of PFAS within four years. This includes establishing pre-treatment standards to prevent the introduction of PFAS into publicly-owned water treatment facilities, stopping PFAS at the source before it gets into the municipal water system.
Identifies nine priority industry categories that EPA must establish standards for including: Organic Chemicals, Plastics and Synthetic Fibers (OCPSF); Pulp, paper, and paperboard; Textile mills; Electroplating; Metal finishing; Leather tanning and finishing; Paint formulating; Electrical and electrical components; and plastics molding and forming.
Authorize $200 million per year for grants to assist Publicly Owned Treatment Works with implementation. The grant program would be run by EPA and funding would be appropriated through Fiscal Years 2022-2026.

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