WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Water Coalition Against PFAS, a group of the leading national water sector associations, testified today on Capitol Hill before the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee at a hearing examining the implications of listing certain per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering listing several PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals" for their persistence in the environment, as hazardous substances under CERCLA. Given the ubiquitous nature of PFAS and the strict legal liability CERCLA imposes on certain parties just for coming into contact with listed substances, drinking water, wastewater and stormwater utilities and their hundreds of millions of customers all across the country could be forced to bear significant financial costs to address PFAS contamination -- even though these utilities played no role in the manufacture or distribution of PFAS, nor have ever profited from their sale.