The Mills Administration released the following statements today in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) finalized national drinking water standard for PFAS.
“PFAS contamination threatens the health of our people, our wildlife, and our environment. My Administration, working closely with the Legislature, has spearheaded one of the strongest efforts in the nation to address PFAS, including proactively establishing an aggressive, temporary drinking water standard,” said Governor Mills. “My Administration appreciates this new, national drinking water standard, which builds on our nation-leading work, as part of the critical effort to protect the health of Maine people. The Maine CDC will closely review the new standard and take steps to align Maine’s temporary standard with the new Federal one.”
In 2021, the Legislature passed, and Governor Mills signed, nation-leading legislation establishing a temporary, interim standard of 20 parts per trillion for six PFAS compounds in drinking water.
The State did not promulgate a final State standard, recognizing that a Federal standard was forthcoming, and, instead, worked with public water systems to reduce exposure to PFAS under the interim standard.
Maine CDC’s Drinking Water Program is evaluating the new Federal standard and, with it now in hand, will propose final State standards through the rule making process that align with the Federal standard.
“The Department of Health and Human Services has been working with public water systems for months in anticipation of the new Federal drinking water standard announced today,” said Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew and Maine CDC Director Puthiery Va. “We thank them for their continued partnership in protecting the health of Maine people as we evaluate and implement this new PFAS standard and look forward to further improvements to Maine’s drinking water systems.”
“The EPA’s national standard demonstrates after many years of research that PFAS pollution in water supplies is a national issue and not simply one that is specific to any one state or region,” said Melanie Loyzim, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP). “Maine DEP applauds the EPA for providing national leadership by identifying and reducing risks from PFAS in our drinking water. In addition to setting a national standard, the funding provided by EPA for both public and private water supplies will be crucial for rural states like Maine. DEP is now evaluating the data gathered as part of the Department’s statewide PFAS investigation to determine future actions and will continue to collaborate with EPA, Maine CDC, and other state agencies on implementation.”
The new Federal standard includes a five-year implementation timeline and applies only to public drinking water systems. Approximately $37.5 million in Federal funding will be available to Maine public water systems for addressing PFAS through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Fund.
Over time, the new Federal standard, and the science supporting it, will inform the State’s assessment of PFAS standards for other substances.
“The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry remains committed to our efforts to assist farms impacted by PFAS contamination,” said Amanda Beal, Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. “We will continue to work closely with our agency partners in reviewing advancements in the science and guidance from federal agencies as we work to ensure the safety and security of our food supply.”
“The new EPA drinking water standards do not affect an impacted producer’s ability to apply for assistance from the PFAS Fund; commercial farms are eligible to apply for PFAS Fund assistance if they have confirmed contamination at a federal MCL for PFAS,” said Beth Valentine, PFAS Fund Director.
“MDIFW has tested hundreds of fish, deer and turkeys throughout the state to assess the breadth and depth of PFAS contamination. Our extensive sampling program has documented how our wildlife is affected by these forever chemicals, how it impacts the public, and what we can do to protect the health of Maine’s cherished natural resources, and those that enjoy them,” said Judy Camuso, Commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “While this new standard applies to drinking water only and has no impact on our existing consumption advisories, we look forward to reviewing the science with our partner agencies and engaging with the Federal government as we continually examine our advisories.”
Three months after taking office in 2019, Governor Mills signed an Executive Order creating a Governor’s Task Force to review the prevalence of PFAS in Maine and to put forward a plan to address it.
That Task Force has led to aggressive actions to address PFAS contamination in Maine, including:
- implementing one of the nation’s earliest and strictest standards for PFAS in drinking water;
- securing tens of millions of more dollars in State funding to remediate PFAS contamination, including testing and remediation efforts through drinking water treatment systems.
- establishing screening levels for PFAS in soil, wastewater, fish tissue and milk, and
- signing a first-in-the-nation law prohibiting the spreading of sludge, a widespread source of PFAS;
- establishing a $60 million PFAS Fund to support farmers whose land and/or water are contaminated with PFAS; and
- dedicating funds to assess the impact of PFAS on Maine’s fish and wildlife, allowing for the testing of hundreds of deer, turkeys and fish that documented how PFAS in the environment impacts Maine’s fish and wildlife.
- expanding the statute of limitations for Maine citizens to file claims for PFAS contamination.
- supporting Attorney General Aaron Frey’s lawsuit against PFAS manufacturers
In total, the Mills Administration and the Legislature have dedicated more than $100 million over the past several years to address PFAS.