Statement by Reps. Kildee and Upton on PFAS
Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) and Congressman Fred Upton (MI-06) today released the following joint statement:
"PFAS chemical contamination is impacting drinking water in communities throughout Michigan. Local, state, and federal leaders must work in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the basic necessity of safe drinking water. We will continue to hold the EPA accountable so that folks in Michigan are getting help and the answers they deserve. Michigan is leading the nation by testing every municipal water source. The EPA must get on board to help Michigan and all states deal with this issue.
"In order to protect families across the country, we must set a national drinking water standard for PFAS. The EPA has failed to act with the proper urgency to set a standard and therefore we support bipartisan legislative action that would require them to do so.
"Every Michigan family deserves safe and clean drinking water. No exceptions."
Background:
Kildee has co-sponsored legislation, which Upton plans to co-sponsor once the U.S. House returns to legislative session, which would require the EPA to publish a maximum containment level goal and promulgate drinking water regulations for PFAS. Learn more here.
Earlier this month, Upton and Kildee led a bipartisan letter to EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler pushing the agency to strengthen drinking water safeguards for PFAS.
Kildee and Upton have previously led a bipartisan letter urging full funding for a nationwide Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study on the health impacts of PFAS in drinking water in the Fiscal Year 2018 Defense Appropriations Bill. The final bill contained $10 million for the study with more than $60 million appropriated for research and remediation. The study is critical to better understanding the long-term health implications of PFAS exposure through water sources.
Kildee and Upton have also previously spearheaded bipartisan legislation, in response to the Flint Water Crisis, which strengthened requirements to have the EPA step in to notify the public when drinking water was discovered to not be safe. The legislation was signed into law by President Obama in 2016.
###