Michigan Representative Dan Kildee (D), chief deputy whip of the House Democratic Caucus and cochair of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force, has secured $80 million in President Joe Biden’s budget reconciliation bill for fire departments across the country to replace firefighting foam and gear that contain toxic per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).
As a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Representative Kildee has been leading the effort to secure additional federal funding to address PFAS as Congress advances a budget through the reconciliation process. The committee’s budget reconciliation bill, which includes the $80 million secured by Kildee for PFAS-free gear for firefighters, passed committee on September 9.
“For decades, firefighters have been exposed to toxic PFAS chemicals, which we know are unsafe,” Kildee said. “This funding will ensure that fire departments don’t have to choose between removing these toxic forever chemicals from their equipment or purchasing safer alternatives.
“Thanks to the leadership of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force, the U.S. House of Representatives continues to take significant steps to address PFAS contamination. Today’s federal funding continues that effort and helps to protect the firefighters who are dedicated to protecting us.”
NGWA has long been an industry leader in providing PFAS research, education, and resources to the public and scientific communities. In 2017, NGWA published Groundwater and PFAS: State of Knowledge and Practice, which was one of the first PFAS guidance documents to be released. It can be found at NGWA.org/PFAS, which is a complete resource center about the groundwater contaminants featuring a FAQs document, a top-10 facts sheet, a homeowner checklist, and more.