Dear Chairman Inhofe, Ranking Member Reed, Chairman Smith, and Ranking Member Thornberry:
We, the undersigned associations, write to you regarding provisions in S. 1790 and H.R. 2500, the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020,” addressing the regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”).
We appreciate the bipartisan approach taken thus far and recommend that any Congressional action enable the appropriate agencies to carry-out the risk-based approach established in existing U.S. environmental law and policy. As warranted, we support the regulation of specific PFAS chemicals, and it is important that Congress prioritize the cleanup of contaminated sites to protect communities.
As the Senate and the House of Representatives begin their conference deliberations, we urge you to oppose those provisions that would circumvent existing, well-established regulatory processes, predetermine outcomes using inadequate scientific data, and potentially inhibit effective cleanup of those PFAS that are of the greatest concern.
We therefore urge you to take the following actions: