Pallone Applauds EPA Action Designating PFAS as Hazardous Substances Under Superfund Program

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement today applauding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new final rule designating two of the most widely used PFAS “forever chemicals” – PFOA and PFOS – as hazardous substances under the Superfund program: 

“Today the tens of millions of Americans who live near a PFAS-contaminated site will finally know that help is on the way. This final rule will allow EPA to begin identifying sites, get boots on the ground for cleanup, and hold PFAS manufacturers—who have known the extreme health risks that their products pose for decades—accountable for the damage they have caused. I commend the Biden Administration for finalizing such strong, urgently needed protections and continuing to prioritize the best interests of the American people over those of corporate polluters.

“This is welcome news for environmental justice communities, who have had to endure a disproportionate burden of toxic PFAS contamination for far too long. I’m also heartened that EPA reaffirmed its longstanding practice of pursuing enforcement on manufacturers and heavy users of PFAS rather than parties like municipalities and local water utilities. I look forward to seeing today’s rule in action and continuing to work with EPA to ensure every American is protected from these dangerous chemicals.”

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