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Democrats Call on EPA to Provide Data on PFAS Chemicals

EPA has approved nearly 900 perfluorinated compounds since 2006

“We are writing to you on behalf of communities we represent that are concerned about the presence of perfluorinated compounds in their drinking water... EPA has allowed many perfluorinated chemicals onto the market since the launch of the PFOA Stewardship Initiative… [including] nearly 900 perfluorinated compounds.”

WASHINGTON – Representatives Paul D. Tonko, the top Democrat on the Energy & Commerce Environment Subcommittee, Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler today calling for greater transparency regarding any data, testing and consent agreements tied to commercial approval or environmental release of perfluorinated compounds (PFAS). Since the enactment of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, EPA has been required to collect additional data before approving new chemicals under its chemical safety program.

“We are writing to you on behalf of communities we represent that are concerned about the presence of perfluorinated compounds in their drinking water,” the letter reads. “EPA has allowed many perfluorinated chemicals onto the market since the launch of the PFOA Stewardship Initiative… [including] nearly 900 perfluorinated compounds.”

The letter calls on EPA to release findings on the following questions no later than December 21, 2018:

  1. How many new perfluorinated chemicals has EPA allowed to enter commerce in the United States since the launch of the PFOA Stewardship Initiative? How many since the Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the Twenty First Century Act took effect?
  2. How many, if any, new perfluorinated chemicals has EPA blocked from entering commerce in the United States since the launch of the PFOA Stewardship Initiative? How many since the effective date of the Lautenberg Act?
  3. How many of the newly introduced perfluorinated chemicals were subject to consent orders requiring the development of test data?
  4. Provide all studies and test results submitted to EPA pursuant to consent orders on perfluorinated chemicals, as well as the anticipated completion date for any ongoing studies.
  5. How many of the newly introduced perfluorinated compounds were subject to limits on environmental releases? What monitoring or enforcement has been done to ensure those limits are followed? For each of these limited perfluorinated compounds, provide the locations where they are produced.
  6. Provide all monitoring data tracking compliance with environmental release limits imposed by consent orders on perfluorinated chemicals.

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