Meaningful steps could soon be taken to address the Department of Defense’s “forever chemicals” problem, so long as lawmakers pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA). Introduced by Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the bill allocates resources to address and phase out equipment and products that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). That includes phasing out firefighting foam that contains PFAS, barring the agency from buying certain items that contain PFAS, and monitoring and assessing PFAS blood levels for service members. Even at undetectable levels PFAS pose a threat to humans, and the Department of Defense has been dealing with an excess of PFAS found in water near military bases for quite some time.
The NDAA was overwhelmingly passed by the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday by a vote of 57-1 and will soon go to the House floor. Advocacy organizations like the Environmental Working Group praised the “significant steps” being taken to address forever chemicals and the harm military communities have experienced from them. News of the NDAA addressing PFAS also coincides with a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water health advisory that allows states to apply for $1 billion in funding to address PFAS. The funds represent the first portion of $5 million allocated to the agency through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to address contaminants in water.
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The EPA is especially focused on addressing PFAS contamination experienced by marginalized communities and suggests states use any funds they receive to “address emerging contaminants like PFAS in drinking water through actions such as technical assistance, water quality testing, contractor training, and installation of centralized treatment technologies and systems,” according to a press release. Exposure to PFAS can bring about a variety of health problems, including heightened risk of kidney and testicular cancer, elevated cholesterol levels, changes to live enzymes, and even birth defects, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Scientists are still studying the effects of PFAS, so the Defense Department’s increased monitoring is critical for ongoing research, as is studying the impact of preventative measures taken by states.
The Biden administration is certainly feeling the pressure to address PFAS across agencies. On Wednesday, dozens of environmental groups sent a joint letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee urging lawmakers to “pass legislation to protect Americans’ drinking water from the class of toxic chemicals known as [PFAS] … For too many communities all across America, PFAS and its harmful effects were something residents learned about only after discovering that their drinking water had been contaminated,” the letter notes. “PFAS contamination impacts all 50 states, so we urge Congress to come together to agree on a comprehensive solution that will work to protect the whole nation.”
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