Congress drags feet on PFAS problem

It should not have taken this long, but finally the federal government is taking action on PFAS. Otherwise known as forever chemicals, PFAS are increasingly showing up in water supplies across the U.S. and are suspected of causing cancer and other illnesses. People on French Island have been battling the chemicals for years and it has gotten so bad that many living there are being forced to drink bottled water to reduce the risk of contamination. People on French Island are hardly alone. PFAS have been increasingly showing up elsewhere too. About half of the city wells in Eau Claire have been found to be contaminated. Now the federal government is outlining plans to do something about it. They are hoping to adopt regulations to limit PFAS contamination by restricting them from being released into the environment and accelerating the cleanup of sites known to be contaminated. Manufacturers would be required to report the level of toxicity in their products, and new limits would be set on levels allowed in drinking water. Some pieces of legislation have passed the House, but the bill remains stalled in the Senate. Even if passed, it is likely limits on PFAS in drinking water won’t come until 2023. It should not take that long. Congress should make this more of a priority and work quickly to keep our environment, and our drinking water, safe.