EPA Official to Speak on Major Water Initiative at NASF Washington Forum

The NASF will host Peter Grevatt, who heads the EPA's Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, to discuss the agency's most consequential initiative in years at the NASF Washington Forum on April 17.

From the NASF:

Dr. Peter Grevatt, who heads EPA's Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, was recently tasked by EPA chief Scott Pruitt to head a major national task force to address widespread contamination and public concerns over a range of fluorinated chemistries.

Finishing Industry Under States' Scrutiny - The plating and finishing industry is one of several chemical manufacturer and user sectors coming under new scrutiny by state regulatory agencies -- particularly in the Great Lakes states, but also in the northeast, southeast and California.

States recently called upon EPA to bring national attention and a strategy for action to the issue. The emerging focus is not only on perfluorooactane sulfonate (PFOS), which NASF worked to phase-out in mist suppressants and surfactants with regulators several years ago, but also PFOS replacements and other chemistries viewed as posing potential health and environmental threats.

Lower Concentrations Viewed as Problem - As we informed members last month, new developments in analytical techniques have allowed much lower concentrations of these compounds to be detected in drinking and surface water as well as other environmental media. While USEPA in 2016 set a new lifetime health advisory for PFOS and PFOA of 70 parts per trillion, states such as Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey and California have entertained new standards for potential restrictions, enforcement or remediation as low as 5 parts per trillion, and expect EPA to consider these levels as well.

Michigan Concerns Discussed Last Week in Grand Rapids - Michigan regulators are the first in the nation to pursue significant regulatory action -- including sampling, inspection and enforcement -- on surface finishing and other potential sources of adverse water and human health impacts below the 12 parts per trillion level. NASF and its Michigan-based members have been in discussions with state regulators there in recent months.

Last week, NASF industry leaders, state agency officials, local publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and others met at a Michigan NASF Grand Rapids formal briefing to discuss the state's next steps in requiring POTWs to survey finishers statewide and determine what actions may be necessary. For more information on Michigan activity, click here.

EPA Hosting National Summit in Washington, May 22-23, 2018 - With increased media attention and growing concern from states, the media and the public, EPA recently announced it will host a National Summit on May 22, 2018 to hear from Governors, local officials, scientists and others on how best to address per and polyfluoroakyl (PFAS) substances.

Peter Grevatt is leading the National Summit effort for EPA, and NASF Washington Forum attendees will look forward to hearing his perspective and outlook. For more information on the EPA's National Leadership PFAS Summit, click here.