Addressing PFAS

BACKGROUND:

On March 14, 2023, EPA proposed a rule to strictly limit six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) ‘forever chemicals’ in Americans’ drinking water, putting people’s health front and center. As Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee last Congress, I prioritized increasing federal funding for PFAS remediation and research to help address PFAS contamination, determine the scope of the problem, and chart the course of action needed to keep people safe.

On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced it had finalized this rule, advancing these protections for the American people. Now all parties have to step up to the plate—federal, state, and local governments, as well as all private companies—to determine the next steps for detection, cleanup, and destruction of these chemicals. The focus of what must be done is clear: every community needs to have water that is safe to drink, and these regulations will achieve this goal.

INVESTING IN KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE:

As Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense in the 117th Congress, I directed more than more than $600 million in funding for PFAS remediation and cleanup, and research on PFAS detection, destruction, and remediation technologies.

As Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment in the 116th Congress, I directed almost $100 million to the EPA to complete the necessary research and regulatory work to establish the drinking water and clean up standards that are now being proposed by the agency.

I have also voted to pass the PFAS Action Act in both the 116th and 117th Congress, which would provide additional tools and resources to address the public health and environmental threats posed by PFAS. The legislation would direct the EPA to finalize PFAS drinking water standards, designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances and air pollutants, limit future industrial discharges of PFAS, and place a moratorium on the approval of new PFAS chemicals in commerce. It would also provide funds to help communities clean up legacy contamination.

TRANSITIONING TO THE FUTURE:

PFAS is a class of thousands of chemicals that are used in the production of many products, including some necessary to the functioning of our society and critical to our national and economic security. For example, PFAS are used in making computer chips, key defense applications, and many medical devices. Their usefulness makes them difficult to immediately transition away from, so we need an intentional, all-hands-on-deck approach to do this. 

In order to speed the transition away from harmful chemicals like PFAS, I have secured $300 million in new federal funding to support the biomanufacturing industrial base in the U.S., with opportunities for our state, local and private entities to come together to solve these critical challenges. Biomanufacturing will allow us to develop new alternatives to reduce reliance on fossil fuel extraction, while producing products that lessen environmental contamination. As we transition away from PFAS, biomanufacturing innovation will be of utmost importance for a healthy, livable planet. 

While this research is underway, there remain many examples of PFAS “essential uses” where no viable alternatives exist, and banning or removing these PFAS immediately would cause harm. For example, the semiconductor industry requires small amounts of PFAS for the manufacturing process. Semiconductors are essential to everything from smartphones to national defense to the green energy transition, and shutting down production could severely harm our economy and our country’s ability to shift away from fossil fuels to clean, green, smart alternatives. Unfortunately, there are no existing alternatives to PFAS in commercial semiconductor manufacturing, so increased investment from government and industry is paramount to shift away from a reliance on PFAS. 

I am committed to ensuring that any and all PFAS chemicals that need to be used in the interim must be tightly controlled, with strong reporting requirements and regulations to ensure that no PFAS is being released into water or air. This will require a whole-of-government approach to monitor, regulate, and enforce PFAS standards, working in concert with state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as with industry and environmental groups.

As we move away from future uses of PFAS, I also remain focused on cleaning up existing PFAS contamination in a timely manner. Funding research into more advanced remediation and destruction technologies is critical to addressing these persistent “forever chemicals.” Securing continued investments through the Appropriations process, evaluating legislation, and engaging with the PFAS Task Force are important next steps.

On April 18, 2024, Senator Dick Durbin and I introduced historic, bicameral legislation to phase out nonessential uses of PFAS within 10 years. The Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act (H.R. 8074) provides deadlines for manufacturers, includes accountability measures, and commissions a study on essential uses that are important for national security and medical purposes. This bill builds on the leadership of Minnesota advocates and elected officials who passed Amara's Law to keep our communities safe. 

RESOURCES:

McCollum, Durbin Introduced Historic, Bicameral Legislation to Ban Nonessential PFAS Within 10 Years (April 18, 2024)

McCollum Statement on Final Rule Limiting 'Forever Chemicals' in Drinking Water (April 10, 2024)

EPA's Letter in Response to Rep. McCollum's Request for Information on Agency's PFAS Destruction and Disposal Plans (Sept. 19, 2023) 

Rep. McCollum, Sen. Durbin Request Biden Administration Plan for PFAS Essential Use Replacements (May 22, 2023) 

Rep. McCollum Requests Information on EPA's Destruction and Disposal Plans for PFAS Chemicals (April 28, 2023) 

McCollum Statement on Proposed Rule to Limit ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water (March 14, 2023) 

McCollum Successfully Secures $3.93 Million to Improve East Metro Water Infrastructure (Dec. 23, 2022)

McCollum Letter to President Biden Ensuring EPA Regulatory Power (Feb. 17, 2021)