Award to honor Representative Kildee’s tireless efforts fighting against PFAS contamination.

(WESTERVILLE, OH — July 27, 2020) Representative Dan Kildee (D-Michigan), chief deputy whip of the House Democratic Caucus, has been named the 2020 Groundwater Protector of the Year by the National Ground Water Association.

The award, selected each year by the NGWA Government Affairs Committee, recognizes people in government, industry, and the private sector for their public service efforts in conjunction with groundwater conservation and protection.

Kildee has been a long-time advocate for safe and sustainable drinking water and has become one of Congress’ leading voices in the fight against the country’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.

In 2019, Kildee and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) founded the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force. The task force’s focus has been to increase awareness of nationwide PFAS contamination and fight for more robust funding of PFAS-contaminated sites.

Recently, Kildee secured over $200 million in funding to remediate PFAS contamination in military sites across the country.

“Representative Kildee understands PFAS is the biggest threat facing our nation’s groundwater supply and has shown remarkable resolve in fighting for more funding to remediate PFAS and raising awareness of the issue,” said Brian Snelten, PG, NGWA president-elect and Government Affairs Committee chairman. “Simply put, our water is safer and our country is healthier because of him.”

“Access to safe, affordable drinking water ought to be a basic human right. I am proud to have worked with the National Ground Water Association to protect groundwater from harmful PFAS…and increase funding for safe well water. I am honored to receive the National Ground Water Association's Groundwater Protector Award this year,” said Kildee.

For more information or additional comments, please contact Ben Frech at bfrech@ngwa.org or call (614) 898-7791, ext. 1570.

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The National Ground Water Association is a not-for-profit professional society and trade association for the global groundwater industry. Our members around the world include leading public and private sector groundwater scientists, engineers, water well system professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers of groundwater-related products and services. The Association’s vision is to be the leading groundwater association advocating for responsible development, management, and use of water.