- The Biden-Harris administration has announced new measures to protect disadvantaged communities from PFAS pollution.
- PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment.
- The new measures include designating PFAS as a hazardous substance, establishing drinking water standards, and promoting the use of alternative, safer chemicals.
- The administration is also providing funding to support communities affected by PFAS contamination and is taking steps to hold polluters accountable.
- The actions are part of the administration’s broader effort to address environmental justice and protect public health and the environment.
By The White House | March 14, 2023
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring every community has access to clean drinking water, free of chemicals and pollutants that harm the health and wellbeing of children, families, and communities. Today the Administration announced the first-ever national drinking water standard for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a major step to advance that commitment. This action builds on two years of progress on President Biden’s action plan to combat PFAS pollution, safeguarding public health and advancing environmental justice.
PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” are a set of human-made chemicals that can cause cancer and other severe health problems. Found in air, drinking water, and our food supply, PFAS pollution disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities and poses a serious threat across rural, suburban, and urban areas.
President Biden has secured historic resources to address emerging containments like PFAS. His Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $9 billion over five years to help communities that are on the frontlines of PFAS and other contamination reduce levels in drinking water. The investments are part of the Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.
In line with President Biden’s commitment last week to the International Association of Firefighters, the President’s FY24 budget includes additional resources for firefighters exposed to PFAS, including increased funding for FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). Specifically, the budget requests $370 million for AFG that can be used to support cancer screenings, fitness activities, and other wellness initiatives.
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to utilizing science and holding polluters accountable to address and prevent PFAS contamination. Today the Administration also released two new reports outlining the latest science and progress on a government-wide plan to address and prevent PFAS contamination.
First-Ever National Standard to Combat PFAS in Drinking Water
Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national standard to address PFAS contamination in drinking water. EPA will require public water systems to monitor for six PFAS chemicals, notify the public if the levels of these PFAS exceed the proposed regulatory standards, and take action to reduce the level of PFAS in the water supply. EPA anticipates that if fully implemented, the rule will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses...
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