Biden Admin Pressed on ‘Forever Chemicals’ Limits in Water

Individuals sickened after exposure to “forever chemicals” urged the Biden administration this week to press ahead with a pending rule that would set aggressive nationwide limits on the compounds in drinking water.

Public health advocates met with White House and EPA officials Wednesday, one month after the rule was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review. Under the proposal, drinking water providers would need to reduce concentrations of two PFAS compounds to 4 parts per trillion — the lowest level that many labs can reliably measure.

Emily Lamond, an environmental attorney at the law firm Cole Schotz in the Garden State, said utilities may have a hard time getting their levels below New Jersey’s current requirement. With EPA’s proposed three-year compliance deadline, the rule could also take energy away from efforts to remove lead pipes, a well-documented public health threat for children in particular, she said.

“My sense is EPA may need more time to address the comments in order to survive challenges in court,” Lamond said. “If I were at EPA, I’d be concerned about their cost-benefit analysis.”