Law Will Require Monitoring of PFAS – Toxic “Forever” Chemicals – and Creation of Advisory Committee to Make Assessment and Recommendations
Washington, DC – April 5 – Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) applauds the Commonwealth of Virginia for passing legislation, signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, to address PFAS pollution, PRKN President Nancy Stoner announced today.
Said Stoner, “Thanks to Senators McPike and Marsden and Delegates Sam Rasoul and Bulova, the bill’s sponsors, Virginia is among states leading the nation in recognizing the gravity of the threat we face from these chemicals – slow to break down and harmful to all living creatures. This legislation is a good start to determine the extent of PFAS chemicals in our drinking water.”
The chief sponsor, Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-District 29), when asked about his motivation for introducing the legislation, said “PFAS is a critical issue that impacts us in every part of our lives now and for future generations. This is a critical first step in pinpointing sources and starting to identify solutions.”
The law will begin to address the threat of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of synthetic chemicals that do not easily break down in the environment, but instead build up and persist in our bodies, water, soil, and wildlife, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.” The bill will require a PFAS assessment where monitoring for PFAS at Virginia’s public drinking water systems demonstrates an exceedance of EPA’s draft maximum contaminant level of 4 micrograms per trillion. As part of the PFAS assessment, Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality will require testing, using EPA-approved methods for upstream discharges such as industrial facilities and water treatment plants.
Additionally, DEQ will establish a PFAS Advisory Committee to review data and make recommendations on PFAS.
Betsy Nicholas, PRKN’s Vice President of Programs, said, “This law will not solve our problems with PFAS contamination in Virginia communities – we will likely be working on it for decades, but it will help to identify the sources of PFAS pollution getting into our waters so that we can stop it at the source before more Virginians are harmed by exposure to these toxic pollutants. I was so thankful for Senator McPike’s leadership in working with the sponsors, administration, and leadership to get us started on this important public health issue.”
Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper added, “We need to understand where the PFAS pollution we are finding in Virginia’s drinking water is coming from. This bill will help us to identify those sources and make polluters bear the burden and cost of the pollution, not communities downstream. And we hope the Governor and our legislators have the will to provide the funding necessary to make the goals of the law a reality. ”
Stoner concluded, “We are just beginning to understand the breadth of the problem we face from PFAS chemicals. This first step in monitoring and assessment will greatly add to our knowledge – and ability to act – to protect the health of the environment and our neighbors.”
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Potomac Riverkeeper Network is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization with three regional Waterkeeper branches: Potomac Riverkeeper, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper, and Shenandoah Riverkeeper. Our mission is to protect the public’s right to clean water in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and their tributaries. We stop pollution to enhance the safety of our drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment.
