WASHINGTON — Michigan Representatives Dan Kildee (D), Fred Upton (R) and other members of Congress held a press conference Friday outlining actions they say the Biden administration should take to deal with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals.
132 Representatives and Senators signed a letter to the administration, calling for a nationwide drinking water standard for PFAS, and for the chemicals to be classified as a hazardous substance. The Congressional PFAS Task Force also wants companies and programs responsible for PFAS contamination to pay for any environmental clean up.
“According to the Environmental Working Group, more than 200 million Americans likely have drinking water and food contaminated with PFAS chemicals. Nevertheless, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Defense have been slow to address the risks posed by PFAS. There are currently no limits on PFAS releases and uses and no requirement to clean up PFAS contamination. To address the growing PFAS pollution crisis, we urge you to take immediate steps to reduce PFAS releases, phase out non-essential uses of PFAS in everyday products, and clean up legacy PFAS pollution,” the letter reads in part.
READ: The full letter from the Congressional PFAS Task Force
Along with Kildee and Upton, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D), Rep. Brenda Lawerence (D), Rep. Haley Stevens (D), Rep. Peter Meijer (R), Rep. Andy Levin (D), and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) signed the letter.
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