News Releases from Headquarters›Water (OW)
EPA Announces PFAS Community Engagement Event in North Carolina
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a PFAS community engagement event in Fayetteville, North Carolina. This community engagement event allows EPA to hear directly from North Carolina communities, state, local, and tribal partners to take action on PFAS.
“We are looking forward to hosting residents and stakeholders from across North Carolina to hear from them directly about their concerns and recommendations for the agency,” said EPA Regional Administrator Trey Glenn. “This community engagement is critical to help us better understand how EPA can support our state and local partners in responding to challenges associated with PFAS.”
“Addressing the GenX issue remains a top priority from me, and I’m pleased the EPA accepted my invitation to visit my district and hear directly from our community. I will continue to work with federal, state, and local officials to help make sure the right steps are taken to protect public health,” said Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC).
WHAT: North Carolina Community Engagement
WHEN: August 14, 2018 Working and Listening Session
10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (EST)
Listening Session
Starts at 3:00 PM (EST)
WHERE: Crown Ballroom
1960 Coliseum Drive
Fayetteville, NC 28306
The North Carolina community engagement event will consist of two sessions – a public listening session and PFAS working session – to hear from the public; provide tools to assist states, tribes, and local communities in addressing challenges with PFAS in the environment; and understand ways EPA can best support the work that’s being done at the state, local, and tribal level.
The community engagement event is open to the public and press. If you are interested in attending the event, please register here: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/forms/pfas-community-engagement-fayettevile-nc. Those interested in speaking should also select the option to speak while registering.
Background
PFAS is a group of man-made chemicals that have been widely used in everyday products since the 1940s. But PFAS compounds also can enter the environment, raising concerns about the potential environmental and health risks.
Addressing PFAS is a national priority. At the National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. in May, EPA announced four actions:
- EPA will initiate steps to evaluate the need for a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFOA and PFOS. We will convene our federal partners and examine everything we know about PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.
- EPA is beginning the necessary steps to propose designating PFOA and PFOS as “hazardous substances” through one of the available statutory mechanisms, including potentially CERCLA Section 102.
- EPA is currently developing groundwater cleanup recommendations for PFOA and PFOS at contaminated sites and will complete this task by fall of this year.
- EPA is taking action in close collaboration with our federal and state partners to develop toxicity values for GenX and PFBS by this summer.
EPA has conducted similar engagements with communities impacted by PFAS in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, and has one scheduled in Colorado. These events are critical to understand ways the Agency can best support the work that’s being done at the state, local, and tribal levels. Using information from the National Leadership Summit, community engagements, and public input provided by the docket, EPA plans to develop a PFAS Management Plan for release later this year.
To learn more about PFAS, please visit: www.epa.gov/pfas