Stevens’ PFAS Bill Passes House

WASHINGTON – On Friday, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) voted to pass the PFAS Action Act, a sweeping package of bills to regulate and mitigate pollution from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been detected at airports, military bases, firehouses and fire training facilities, waste-water treatment plants, and other industrial sites. Exposure to PFAS chemicals has been linked to cancer and other illnesses. A recent report found that Michigan has the highest number of PFAS contamination sites in the nation.

The PFAS Action Act would ensure cleanup of PFAS contaminated sites under the Superfund program, establish drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals, and create a grant program to support the instillation of treatment technologies in our municipalities. The legislation also includes the PROTECT Act, Rep. Stevens’ bill to add PFAS to the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. The inclusion of Stevens’ bill is particularly important because PFAS chemicals that can travel long distances through the air are making their way into drinking water.

“PFAS contamination is a critical environmental crisis facing Michiganders,” said Congresswoman Stevens. “We still have a lot to learn about these ‘forever chemicals’ and the health risks associated with prolonged exposure. In order to adequately and effectively address this threat we need to limit the production of these chemicals, set national standards to keep our drinking water clean and safe, and begin clean-up efforts. The PFAS Action Act, which includes my bill to designate PFAS as a hazardous air pollutant, is a strong and comprehensive step forward to address the crisis of PFAS contamination.”   

Rep. Stevens also co-sponsored a bipartisan amendment to the PFAS Action Act, which was adopted, to increase funding for the PFAS Infrastructure Grant Program to reimburse community water systems that have implemented eligible treatment technologies.

Additionally, Rep. Stevens supported passage of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law, requiring the Department of Defense to reduce its use of PFAS.

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