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EPA plan on PFAS cleanup may let polluters off the hook [1]

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Date: 2025-05-02 14:15:00+00:00

The Trump administration's new PFAS roadmap is raising red flags among public health experts who fear it could weaken protections and slow the cleanup of toxic chemicals in drinking water.



Shannon Kelleher reports for The New Lede.

In short:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin unveiled plans that may roll back Biden-era rules on PFAS, potentially easing requirements on water utilities and stalling Superfund designations for key chemicals.

Health advocates warn the plan lacks teeth, offering vague promises of research while possibly gutting liability rules and PFAS reporting requirements for industry.

Despite language about strengthening science, critics suspect the push may be more about delay than action, with water utilities cautiously welcoming relief from steep compliance costs.

Key quote:

“Their actions will absolutely ensure that for years longer people will be exposed to PFAS in their drinking water and their food without any relief from this administration.”

— Betsy Southerland, former director in the EPA Office of Water

Why this matters:

Under Zeldin, the EPA is floating a new framework that public health advocates say reads more like a corporate wish list than a plan to protect American families from toxic chemicals. The administration talks a big game about “strengthening the science,” but critics say the plan is long on research promises and short on actual protections.

Read more: What are PFAS?

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[1] Url: https://www.ehn.org/epa-plan-on-pfas-cleanup-may-let-polluters-off-the-hook

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