The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its second public meeting on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) will take place July 25 in Horsham, Pennsylvania.
The announcement follows the EPA’s first meeting, which was held on June 25 in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Information on future meetings in New Fountain, Colorado, and a yet-to-be-determined location in North Carolina will be announced at a later time according to the EPA as well.
The public meetings provide an opportunity to weigh in with EPA officials on the type of assistance needed to address PFAS contamination.
Attendees at the PFAS National Leadership Summit in May identified several challenges that lie ahead including a lack of regulatory certainty at the federal level, the need for better risk communication strategies, and financial and technical assistance for communities large and small to test for PFAS in their water supplies.
Members of the National Ground Water Association are uniquely qualified to play a role in addressing these challenges. Many are working daily on PFAS-related issues, and NGWA’s
Groundwater and PFAS: State of Knowledge and Practice, published last year, is one of the most comprehensive tools available on the topic. The text was crafted by NGWA with the assistance of 36 volunteers.
The public meetings serve as an opportunity for NGWA members to share this expertise with EPA officials. Those wanting to
sign up for a speaking slot at the Pennsylvania meeting must do so by 10 a.m. on July 20. NGWA will work with you so you are prepared and help draft your public statement, if desired.
Members of the public are also able to sign up to attend without requiring a speaking slot.
For more information about a speaking opportunity, contact NGWA Government Affairs Director Lauren Schapker at
lschapker@ngwa.org or (202) 888-9151.
NGWA is also hosting an event August 14-15 in St. Paul, Minnesota, titled
PFAS in Groundwater Workshop: The Professional’s Challenge. The workshop will address and sharpen the thought processes of practitioners regarding how to apply scientific and legal considerations to sites contaminated with PFAS.