Rep. Delgado Earns Perfect Score on Environmental Working Group's Toxic Chemicals Scorecard

WASHINGTON, DC --Today, the Environmental Working Group Action Fund released legislative scorecards for Members of Congress based on their votes regarding toxic chemicals. Rep. Delgado has earned a 100% or perfect score for his leadership to address PFAS contamination. The scorecard is based on legislators' votes on eight bills and amendments during the 116th Session of Congress.

"Addressing PFAS contamination and exposure has been a top priority throughout my time in Congress and I am proud to earn a perfect score on the Environmental Working Group Action Fund Chemical Scorecard," said Rep. Delgado. "The work to rid our water of toxic pollutants is far from over. I am committed to continuing these efforts, along with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to reduce the levels of these dangerous chemicals in our air and water, and help our communities address the unthinkable consequences of PFAS contamination."

"No one has worked harder to address the risks posed by PFAS pollution than Rep. Delgado," said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs for EWG Action Fund. "PFAS pollution threatens millions of Americans," Faber said. "Thanks to the leadership of Rep. Delgado, Congress is making PFAS a priority."

As founding member of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force, Rep. Delgado has made addressing PFAS contamination in NY-19 an urgent priority in Congress, and introduced a number of measures to increase transparency and accountability around PFAS exposure. H.R. 2577, the PFAS Right-To-Know Act would create a 34th chemical class, requiring industrial facilities with over 10 employees who exceed a certain threshold of PFAS yearly to report to the EPA, and was passed by Congress and signed into law as part of the NDAA. Last year, Delgado urged the EPA to set maximum contaminant levels for PFAS chemicals as well as enact additional provisions to address water contamination in upstate New York and across the country. Instead of setting these maximum contaminant levels, the EPA only announced plans to begin doing so by the end of 2019. Last September, Congressman Delgado reiterated these requests of the EPA to set a Maximum Contaminant Level for PFAS chemicals at Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and introduced Michael Hickey -- a community leader who brought to light the water contamination crisis in Hoosick Falls -- as he testified before the committee.

This year, Delgado also introduced two bipartisan bills to address discharges of toxic PFAS chemicals in waterways and water treatment systems. H.R. 5540, the PFAS Transparency Act would prohibit indirect discharges of industrial PFAS into wastewater treatment systems unless the treatment plant operator is given advance notice. H.R. 539, the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act of 2020 would add PFAS to the Clean Water Act's Toxic Pollutants List, allowing the EPA to regulate its release in water systems. Both of these bills were included in the House-passed H.R. 535, the PFAS Action Act. Most recently, the House passed Rep. Delgado's bipartisan legislation that would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine if there is any PFAS contamination on any of their facilities or operating sites and create a plan to clean up contaminated sites.

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