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WASHINGTON -- The first nationwide action plan addressing contamination from the PFAS flourinated compounds was announced Thursday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Action Plan will identify short-term solutions and long-term strategies for clean and safe drinking and to address PFAS at the source before it gets into the water, Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said.
"The PFAS Action Plan is the most comprehensive cross-agency plan to address an emerging chemical of concern ever undertaken by EPA," Wheeler said at a press conference in Philadelphia.
"For the first time in agency history, we utilized all of our program offices to construct an all-encompassing plan to help states and local communities address PFAS and protect our nation's drinking water," he said. "We are moving forward with several important actions, including the maximum contaminant level process, that will help affected communities better monitor, detect, and address PFAS."
The EPA is responding to public interest and comment and is the first time the agency "has built a multi-media, multi-program, national communication and research plan to address an emerging environmental challenge like PFAS," the EPA said.
"It's encouraging to see the EPA taking action to address something that has proven to be a real problem in a number of communities across the country--including in West Virginia," said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who has pushed EPA officials for action on the PFAS issue.
At least two areas of West Virginia have been impacted by contamination from per-flourinated compounds. A water well in Martinsburg was contaminated with PFAS and local water systems surrounding the Washington Works plant operated by DuPont and then Chemours in Washington, W.Va., have been contaminated with C8 (PFOA). A science panel studying health data has determined it could cause six diseases in people.
"As we've seen, certain types of PFAS pollution can have serious consequences, and it's an issue we need to get a handle on," Capito said. "Last week, I joined with a bipartisan group of my colleagues to ask Acting Administrator Wheeler to move forward with setting a (maximum contaminant level) standard, after speaking with him directly about the issue several times myself. Today's announcement is an important step in that direction, and I will remain actively engaged to push EPA to complete the process expeditiously and put that standard in place."
The EPA Thursday announced it:
* Will move forward with the maximum contaminant level outlined in the Safe Drinking Water Act for PFOA and PFOS, two of the most well-known and prevalent PFAS chemicals. By the end of this year, EPA will propose a regulatory determination, which is the next step in the Safe Drinking Water Act process for establishing a maximum contaminant level.
* Has already begun the regulatory development process for listing PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances and will issue interim groundwater cleanup recommendations for sites contaminated with PFOA and PFOS. More tools will be available to help states and communities address existing contamination and enhance the ability to hold responsible parties accountable.
* Will use available enforcement tools to address PFAS exposure in the environment and assist states in enforcement activities.
* Will propose to include PFAS in nationwide drinking water monitoring under the next Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Program. The agency will also consider PFAS chemicals for listing in the Toxics Release Inventory to help the agency identify where these chemicals are being released.
* Will develop new analytical methods so that more PFAS chemicals can be detected in drinking water, in soil, and in groundwater.
* Will develop a PFAS risk communication toolbox that includes materials to effectively communicate with the public.
* Will help EPA and its partners identify and better understand PFAS contaminants generally, clean up current PFAS contamination, prevent future contamination, and effectively communicate risk with the public.
The Environmental Working Group, which has studied PFAS for more than 20 years, said the agency's "so-called PFAS management plan" will cause more pollution from fluorinated compounds.
It doesn't stop the introduction of new PFAS chemicals, end the use of PFAS chemicals in everyday products, alert Americans to the risk of PFAS pollution or clean contaminated drinking water supplies for about 110 million Americans, the organization said.
"Once again, Donald Trump has demonstrated that he is the nation's first pro-cancer president," said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group.