West Virginia Sen. Capito applauds EPA's PFAS standard

WASHINGTON, W.Va. (WV News) — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is applauding the U.S. Environmental Protection’s proposed standards for so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water.

The EPA announced Tuesday morning that it has proposed the first-ever national drinking water standard for PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

The proposal seeks to establish legally enforceable levels for six PFAS known to occur in drinking water, according to information from the agency.

“After years of urging three consecutive administrations of different parties to do so, I’m pleased a safe drinking water standard has finally been issued for PFOA and PFOS,” said Capito, who serves as the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

“I’m looking forward to hearing from those who will be impacted by this announcement, including local water systems and ratepayers across the country, on how we can provide assistance for implementation. No one should have to wonder if their water is safe to drink, and it’s critical that we get this important regulation right,” Capito said.

The proposal, if finalized, would regulate PFOA and PFOS as individual contaminants, and would regulate four other PFAS — PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX Chemicals — as a mixture.

If finalized, the proposed regulation will require public water systems to monitor for these chemicals.

It will also require systems to notify the public and reduce PFAS contamination if levels exceed the proposed regulatory standards.

The EPA anticipates that if fully implemented, the rule would, over time, prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses.

The regulation would establish nationwide protection from PFAS pollution for all people, including environmental justice communities.

“Communities across this country have suffered far too long from the ever-present threat of PFAS pollution. That’s why President Biden launched a whole-of-government approach to aggressively confront these harmful chemicals, and EPA is leading the way forward,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “EPA’s proposal to establish a national standard for PFAS in drinking water is informed by the best available science, and would help provide states with the guidance they need to make decisions that best protect their communities. This action has the potential to prevent tens of thousands of PFAS-related illnesses and marks a major step toward safeguarding all our communities from these dangerous contaminants.”

During the recently concluded 2023 session of the West Virginia Legislature, lawmakers passed House Bill 3189, the PFAS Protection Act.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, aims to identify and address PFAS substances in the state’s water intakes.

“It helps protect citizens and public water,” Riley said. “It’s going to be something that helps minimize impact on utilities down the road. It allocated a program within the (state) Department of Environmental Protection to help them get ahead of it before the MCLs come down from EPA, so it lessens the burden on cities and public service districts.”

Following the release of the EPA’s proposed standards Tuesday, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Bureau for Public Health and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection announced a new working group to collaborate with select public water systems to develop plans to treat drinking water for PFOA, PFOS and PFAS.

“At the governor’s direction, in an effort of collaboration, our state partners proactively reached out to water systems in West Virginia in preparation of these revised EPA guidelines and have formed a work group to address any potential concerns,” said Dr. Matt Christiansen, state health officer and commissioner of DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health.

“A collaborative approach between DHHR, DEP and our public water systems will be the most effective way to treat PFAS in our state,” said DEP Secretary Harold Ward. “By working together, we can leverage our respective strengths and expertise to protect the health and well-being of our citizens and the environment.”