SCHUMER STATEMENT ON FIRST-EVER PROPOSED EPA STANDARD TO LIMIT TOXIC PFAS IN DRINKING WATER

Statement

Following years of advocacy to clean up dangerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water, U.S Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a first-ever national drinking water standard for six different PFAS known to occur in drinking water. Schumer said that the EPA's proposal is an important step to protect the public health of Upstate communities and to avoid new Yorkers' long term exposure to PFAS pollution, and noted that he fought to include $10 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund PFAS clean-up.

"Today's announcement from the Biden EPA proposing the first-ever national drinking water standard for six PFAS chemicals is a major step toward protecting all New Yorkers," said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer. "PFAS pollution is a serious public health challenge and this is why I fought to include a record $10 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to supercharge drinking water clean-up efforts. This proposal will spur clean-ups and radically reduce health impacts that could flow from long-term exposure to PFAS. I am proud and pleased to see today's action from EPA after my years of advocacy calling for a PFAS drinking water standards across multiple administrations."

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