CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN LEADS MOST COMPREHENSIVE PFAS CRACKDOWN IN HISTORY, INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN "PFAS ACTION ACT" TO PROTECT AMERICAN FAMILIES FROM DANGEROUS "FOREVER CHEMICALS"

Congressmen Pat Ryan Leads Most Comprehensive PFAS Crackdown in History, Introduces Bipartisan “PFAS Action Act” to Protect American Families from Dangerous “Forever Chemicals”

Bill will require EPA to establish standards for PFAS in drinking water, reduce PFAS pollution in waterways, and enhance PFAS testing and labeling

WASHINGTON DC –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan introduced the “PFAS Action Act of 2023,” bipartisan legislation to combat the rising threat posed by toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals” due to their toxicity and inability to break down in the environment. The bill will require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a national drinking water standard for PFAS, limit the amount of PFAS discharge into waterways, fund water treatment for PFAS contamination, and enhance PFAS testing, reporting, and labeling requirements. 

“For too long, big corporations have pumped toxic chemicals into our air and water, making billions in profits at the expense of American families’ health and safety. I refuse to let your kids or mine be exposed to these toxins any longer,” said Congressman Pat Ryan, a member of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force. “I’m proud to lead the most comprehensive PFAS cleanup plan in history, and will continue to push relentlessly until it becomes law.”

“It is our responsibility to continue to seriously address the public health threat of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals holistically, and the bipartisan PFAS Action Act is another step in the right direction,” said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-chair of the Congressional PFAS Task Force. “I am proud to champion this comprehensive approach to remove ‘forever chemicals’ from our water and wastewater systems, restrict future PFAS leakage and emissions, and reduce the impact of contamination by establishing a national drinking water standard. For our communities today and for the next generation of Americans, we must identify and halt the harms of these hazardous substances.”

The PFAS Action Act of 2023 was previously introduced and passed with wide bipartisan support in the House in 2021, but failed to pass in the Senate and be signed into law. The PFAS Action Act takes a robust and comprehensive approach to tackling the wide scope of PFAS contaminations, including by:

• Requiring the EPA to establish a national drinking water standard for PFAS, currently no standard exists
• Assisting schools and childcare facilities in addressing PFAS contamination in drinking water
• Limiting industrial release of PFAS discharge into waterways
• Requiring manufacturers to improve reporting on PFAS presence in order to help the EPA identify and mitigate contamination risks
• Enhancing labeling of PFAS use in household cookware
• Funding wastewater treatment of PFAS contamination
• Banning the hazardous incineration of waste containing PFAS
• Placing a hold on the introduction of new commercial uses for PFAS 
• Accelerating the EPA’s ability to designate PFAS as hazardous substances and air pollutants

The PFAS Action Act is endorsed by League of Conservation Voters, Less Cancer, Sierra Club, Southern Environmental Law Center, Union of Concerned Scientists, Natural Resources Defense Council, Toxic-Free Future (Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families), National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund Action, and Environmental Law & Policy Center.

PFAS exposure has been linked to severe health consequences for humans, including reproductive health issues, developmental delays in children, increased risks for some cancers, compromised immune function, hormonal imbalances, and increased cholesterol and obesity risk, according to the EPA. Humans are most commonly exposed to PFAS through ingestion of contaminated water or food, breathing contaminated air, or use of PFAS containing items, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The NIEHS also reports that the toxicity levels in humans, the environment, wildlife, and food sources can bioaccumulate over time. Earlier this year, the United States Geological Survey released a stark report that nearly half of the country’s tap water contains at least one of the 32 currently detectable and recognized forms of PFAS. 

Congressman Pat Ryan has prioritized fighting for clean water for Hudson Valley families and against harmful pollutants, notably spearheading efforts against the emerging threats posed by PFAS contamination. Congressman Ryan recently joined with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand in calling for the Department of Defense to accelerate its cleanup of PFAS contamination at Stewart Air Base and Ryan has championed the inclusion funding for PFAS contamination investigations and clean ups on military bases in the National Defense Authorization Act and sits on the Congressional PFAS Task Force. He is a cosponsor of the Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2023 to increase funding for water pollution reduction programs and infrastructure projects.

Last month, Congressman Ryan introduced the “Hudson River Protection Act” to permanently ban barges from anchoring on the Hudson River and polluting the waterway with oil and other toxic materials. Ryan previously sounded the alarm on the Coast Guard’s plan to allow for the dangerous anchorages and is still collecting public comments regarding the plan here on his website. 

Earlier this year, Congressman Ryan demanded that General Electric conduct a full clean up of its PCB pollution in the Hudson River and for Holtec to end its plan to discharge radioactive waste into the Hudson River at Indian Point. 

This summer, when it was reported that telecommunications companies have allowed a network of legacy cabling to leach lead into the environment, including under the Hudson River, Congressman Ryan immediately called for the telecommunications companies to remove the cabling and pay for the clean up. 

Congressman Ryan has taken extensive action to eliminate lead contamination from drinking water in the Hudson Valley, including bringing EPA leadership to Poughkeepsie to assist the city in addressing its lead pipe crisis. Ryan has also nominated several Hudson Valley communities, including Middletown, Wappinger, Cornwall-on-Hudson, Millerton, and Warwick, for federal community project funding for significant water infrastructure projects to improve drinking water safety.

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