Governor Hassan's Statement on NHDES Emergency Rule Creating State Standard for PFOA and PFOS

Press Release

Governor Maggie Hassan issued the following statement on the announcement by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services that it has filed an emergency rule to establish ambient groundwater quality standards (AGQS) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS):

"We continue to work with state and local officials to aggressively address contaminated water and respond to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new lifetime drinking water health advisory levels for perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate, including providing bottled water in affected areas to those whose water supply falls under the new advisory. Emergency rules for a new state standard on water contaminated by those chemicals are an important part of our response, allowing the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to direct site remediation efforts and require public water systems to comply with these standards while we develop permanent standards through a longer-term process that includes the opportunity for full public input.

"I thank Commissioner Burack and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services for working expeditiously to file emergency rules for this new state standard, and I look forward to the long-term process to set a permanent standard for these contaminants that will ensure full public input. While this is an important step forward, we still have much work to do in order to ensure that all of our residents and visitors have access to safe, clean drinking water and can better understand the risks posed by all emerging contaminants."

The emergency rule set three groundwater standards -- 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA, 70 ppt for PFOS and 70 ppt for PFOA and PFOS combined, where the chemicals are found together. It is in effect for 180 days, effective immediately.

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