Administrator Pruitt Kicks Off National Leadership Summit On PFAS

Announces EPA’s four-step plan

Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt opened the National Leadership Summit on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by announcing concrete steps the Agency plans to take following the Summit:

EPA’s Four-Step Action Plan

• EPA will initiate steps to evaluate the need for a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFOA and PFOS. We will convene our federal partners and examine everything we know about PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.
• EPA is beginning the necessary steps to propose designating PFOA and PFOS as “hazardous substances” through one of the available statutory mechanisms, including potentially CERCLA Section 102.
• EPA is currently developing groundwater cleanup recommendations for PFOA and PFOS at contaminated sites and will complete this task by fall of this year.
• EPA is taking action in close collaboration with our federal and state partners to develop toxicity values for GenX and PFBS.

Today’s leadership summit, which continues through tomorrow, includes representatives from over 40 states, tribes, and territories; 20 federal agencies; Congressional staff; associations; industry groups; and non-governmental organizations.

To fully engage with communities in the weeks following the summit, EPA plans to travel to a number of states with communities impacted by PFAS including New Hampshire and Michigan. By visiting impacted communities, EPA intends to hear directly from the public on how to best help states and communities facing this issue. Using information from the National Leadership Summit, community engagements, and public input provided by the docket, EPA plans to develop a PFAS Management Plan for release later this year.

Learn more about the National Leadership Summit as well as the Agency’s efforts to protect public health and provide clean and safe drinking water for all Americans by reading this morning’s Detroit Free Press op-ed by Administrator Pruitt.

Additional information on EPA’s community engagement on PFAS: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-community-engagement