Trump Administration looks to repeal limits on forever chemicals in drinking water
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) — The Trump Administration announced this week it plans to repeal regulations limiting toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water.
On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it plans to revoke and restart the regulation process for four different types of PFAS, including GenX. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the Biden Administration implemented maximum drinking water requirements for those chemicals illegally.
“They might warrant strict standards, possibly even stricter than what was previously regulated. But because the previous administration didn’t follow the procedural and substantive step by step requirements of the ‘Safe Drinking Water Act’ when regulated them, that rule has been extremely vulnerable legally and already subject to ongoing litigation,” Zeldin said.
The Biden Administration had implemented enforcement standards in April 2024. Those maximum containment levels were set at 4.0 parts per trillion for both PFOA and PFOS, and 10 parts per trillion for other forms of PFAS, including GenX.
The toxic chemicals are tied to a variety of health issues, including different kinds of cancer. The chemicals flooded Southeastern North Carolina after decades of upstream contamination from Chemours. A recent study found high levels of PFAS chemicals in the blood of Wilmington-area residents.
On Monday, the EPA also eliminated restrictions on different mixtures of forever chemicals, but maintained the Biden-era regulations on PFOA and PFOS.
The announcement also noted that drinking water systems can now ask for two additional years to comply with existing federal regulations, which extends the deadline from 2029 to 2031.
Environmental advocates criticized the EPA’s decision. Emily Donovan with Clean Cape Fear, who has spent years advocating for harsher PFAS regulations, said the EPA’s announcement is a step in the wrong direction.
“What the EPA is doing right now is disrespectful to our community, and everything we fought so hard to gain,” Donovan said. “That EPA is not interested in protecting our health.”
CFPUA Executive Director Ken Waldroup said the decision won’t impact how safe their drinking water is. CFPUA’s Sweeney Water Treatment Plant has all but eliminated PFAS compounds for Wilmington-area customers, but Waldroup said federal and state regulations are still critical for the Southeastern North Carolina region.
“We supported the previous administration’s regulation of these chemicals, including GenX compounds. We believe that decision will be reaffirmed in this new process,” he said.
The proposed changes will start a process that includes a 60-day public comment period. The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing on July 7. More information about the public hearing can be found here.