Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, is shown in April at a subcommittee hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. On Monday, Zeldin announced the EPA will roll back some protections on chemicals called “forever toxins” in drinking water. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo
Officials in the Trump administration on Monday moved to weaken and change key parts of federal guidelines that dealt with the presence of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also called “forever toxins,” in drinking water.
The plans against those guidelines have been in the works for more than a year. The federal regulations date from President Joe Biden’s term as president and required water utility companies to filter six types of PFAs from drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency found in the past that PFAS are linked to cancer, obesity, decreased fertility, development issues and many other health issues. The man-made chemicals are sometimes called forever toxins because they can last for decades in the environment, CNN reported.
In announcing the pullback of the regulations, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin blamed the Biden administration for alleged procedural errors to do with the guidelines. He said the EPA will now do things “the right way, following the law and following the science,” The New York Times reported.
Zeldin said the EPA will “rescind and restart” regulations on limits for four of the PFAs. The agency will then decide whether and to what extent it should regulate them, a process that could be lengthy, The New York Times reported. The EPA will also reissue restrictions on two PFAs. However, water companies will be able to request an additional two years with which to deal with them, extending the deadline to 2031.
Zeldin said water utilities and chemical companies have already sued the EPA over the regulations and costs. He said the companies could pass these costs on to consumers.
The announcement drew ire from both environmental activists and members of the Make America Healthy Again movement, which includes anti-vaccine activists and wellness influencers, the Times reported.
“The Trump EPA is caving to chemical industry lobbyists and water utility pressure – and in doing so, it is condemning millions of Americans to drink contaminated water for years to come,” said Ken Cook, president and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, CNN reported.
