Courtney Bourgoin, courtney.bourgoin@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC-- Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released interim guidance for cleanup of two toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFOS and PFOA in groundwater. The proposed guidelines are meant to inform the clean-up of contaminated sites, but some critical limitations will hinder their implementation by local, state and federal governments. PFAS chemicals are likely to be present in drinking water for more than 100 million Americans.
In response, Sonya Lunder, Senior Toxics Advisor at the Sierra Club, released the following statement:
“The Trump administration’s groundwater guidelines for PFAS are inadequate. They don’t compel any meaningful action at the sites already known to be polluted.
“There are hundreds of communities contaminated by military activities and industrial emissions, and most have drank contaminated water for decades. We do not have the luxury of waiting any longer. We need immediate action to protect women, children and communities most exposed to these dangerous chemicals.
“States around the country and even the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) suggest that this drinking water limit of 70 parts per trillion puts people at risk for serious health damage. We need to act meaningfully and urgently to ban ongoing breaching of PFAS into our groundwater and cleanup the widespread pollution that already exists.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.