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EPA Gears Up for First PFAS Community Engagement Event in New Hampshire Next Week

06/22/2018
Contact Information: 
Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON  — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the full agenda for the inaugural per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) community engagement in Exeter, New Hampshire, a two-day public event at Exeter High School, 1 Blue Hawk Dr., Exeter, New Hampshire. Following the historic National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. last month, the New Hampshire Community Engagement event – the first of its kind – allows EPA to hear directly from New England communities, state, local, and tribal partners on how to best help states and communities facing this issue.

“We are listening to the public's concerns and bringing key stakeholders together to improve our understanding of these chemicals. EPA drinking water experts, research scientists, and regional officials will attend and speak at this event to ensure the public understands what we know and what we're doing. Our continued work with states and communities will ensure that, from the federal to the local level, we can quickly respond to and address the concerns shared by New England citizens on PFAS. We invite everyone to attend the sessions in Exeter on June 25 and 26, and witness in person cooperative federalism in action,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator Alexandra Dunn.

Additional details will be posted on the PFAS Community Engagement website. Both days will be open to the public and the press. If you are interested in attending the event on June 25 and/or June 26, please register here: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/forms/pfas-community-engagement-exeter-nh. The public is invited to speak during the June 25 listening session. Online registration will close on this morning at 10:00 am. Those unable to register online will be able to register or sign up to speak in person at the event. Registration is not required to attend or speak.

Please check back at the PFAS Community Engagement website for further information leading up to the event. Citizens are also encouraged to submit written statements to the public docket at https://www.regulations.gov/ enter docket number: OW-2018-0270.

New Hampshire marks the first community engagement. Throughout the summer, EPA will visit and similarly engage with additional communities across the country. Information on these upcoming sessions will also be available on the EPA website

At the PFAS National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. on May 22-23, Administrator Pruitt announced four actions EPA will take:

  • 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. 

The public’s input is incredibly valuable and meaningful to EPA. Using information from the National Leadership Summit, public docket, and community engagements, EPA plans to develop a PFAS Management Plan for release later this year. In addition, a summary of the New England community engagement event will be made available on the PFAS Community Engagement website following the event.

Additional information can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-community-engagement