In a U.S. House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on the Environment on Wednesday, Michigan members of Congress called for more federal action on perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAs.
PFAs are a chemical contaminant that has been found at sites across the state and is linked to cancer.
U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee said it’s clear the federal EPA isn’t doing enough to research, cleanup, or set health standards for PFAs.
“This hearing helped establish what the record is, what the EPA has done, what the Defense Department has done. And it puts Congress in a position to determine what we need to do to force a more aggressive approach to this.”
Kildee said he hopes other members of Congress will join him on legislation that would require the EPA to set an enforceable drinking water standard in two years.
“There are several other steps too. I have a bill with Congressman Jack Bergman to require the U.S. Geological Survey to identify all those private sites where we suspect there may be PFAs but to confirm the extent and size of this problem.”
A spokesperson for the EPA said in a written statement that the Trump Administration is the first to address PFAS in a comprehensive and meaningful way.