EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has until May 12th to decide—either side with polluters or move ahead with strong, science-based drinking water standards for PFAS and protect our health
In recent years, communities across NY, CT and the nation have discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent, meaning they build up in our bodies and don’t break down in the environment. Exposure to PFAS is linked to higher rates of cancer and other serious health impacts. The EPA has found that there is no safe level of exposure to PFAS in our drinking water.
In April of 2024, EPA adopted strong, science-based drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals—limiting the toxic chemicals to the lowest level feasible in drinking water. Regrettably, a lawsuit has been brought by water utilities and the chemical industry, attempting to block this much needed drinking water standard. The EPA has until Monday, May 12th to announce its intentions for the PFAS standards – whether to continue defending their adopted standards, weaken the standards significantly, ask for more time, or scrap them altogether. If they do not move forward with the standards, more than 1.3 million New Yorkers and many Connecticut residents will lose critical protections from the toxic “forever chemicals.”
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE
