![]() ![]() President Joe Biden's administration is devoting $10 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law to address emerging contaminants like PFAS. The DNR has said it would take proposed limits from the EPA into account when developing standards. In December, the Natural Resources Board voted unanimously to allow Wisconsin environmental regulators to once again begin crafting health-based standards for PFAS in groundwater. "When you have a federal level set that is reflective of this kind of number, it allows the argument for groundwater safety to be that much stronger," Boyle said. Photo courtesy of Johnson Controls InternationalĬindy Boyle, town of Peshtigo chair, said the EPA's announcement nearly brought tears to her eyes. WMC continues to support standards for PFAS that are reasonable, cost-effective and based on the latest peer-reviewed science."Īn aerial photo of Tyco's Fire Training Center in Marinette. "For example, they are completely out of line with the draft guidelines of 100 ppt for PFOA and PFOS from the World Health Organization. ![]() "Unfortunately, the proposal appears to go far beyond any reasonable criteria for regulating PFAS," Summerfield said in a statement. Craig Summerfield, WMC's environmental and energy policy director, said they're carefully reviewing the proposed standards. State industry groups have also argued inconsistent state, federal and international standards demonstrate a lack of consensus on appropriate limits for the chemicals. Even so, they’ve questioned the science behind more restrictive limits on the chemicals. Industry groups like Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, or WMC, supported the state’s drinking water standard for PFAS based on the EPA’s previous health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion released in 2016. The DNR is actively investigating around 100 sites for PFAS pollution, according to its website tracking environmental cleanups. In Wisconsin, PFAS have been detected in more than 50 communities from small towns like Peshtigo and Campbell to larger cities like Eau Claire, Wausau and Madison. He and his wife, Mary, use ice from Kwik Trip due to PFAS contamination in their water. Elmore said they'll work with state health officials on any updates to health guidance as they work to provide the best advice to people with PFAS in their water.ĭale Wetterling empties a bag of ice into a box before placing it in the freezer Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at his home in French Island, Wis. In the meantime, Wisconsin's drinking water standard for PFAS hasn't changed, and the agency recommends public water supplies take voluntary steps to limit the chemicals in drinking water at or above state health advisory levels. "We will then proceed with state rulemaking to incorporate these drinking water maximum contaminant levels into state law, and then continue on with implementing them with the public water systems that they apply to in the state," Elmore said. Steve Elmore, the program director for drinking water and groundwater at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said the agency along with the Department of Health Services will review the proposed limits and monitor the EPA's rulemaking until final drinking water standards are released. The EPA wants to regulate the combination of four other PFAS, including PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX chemicals. That's more than 17 times lower than Wisconsin's drinking water standard for PFAS - 70 parts per trillion - that took effect last summer. The EPA is proposing individual limits for the two most widely studied PFAS chemicals - PFOA and PFOS - at 4 parts per trillion. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan testifies before a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing to examine President Joe Biden's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2023 for the EPA on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 6, 2022. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |