Rep. Crow Votes to Protect Public Health of Colorado Families from Harmful PFAS Chemicals

January 10, 2020

Representative Jason Crow (CO-06) voted today for H.R. 535, the PFAS Action Act of 2019, comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to address the public health threat from PFAS chemicals. Per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of man-made chemicals that have been linked to adverse health effects including cancer, immune system effects, infertility, impaired child development, high cholesterol, and thyroid disease. Because of their strong atomic bonds, these are known as "forever chemicals" that are extremely persistent in the environment.

"Our community, home to Buckley Air Force Base, knows the hazardousness of PFAS all too well. We've seen elevated levels of PFAS in the groundwater in Colorado and it's time it was addressed. Today's vote for the PFAS Action Act is a solemn one, this is a situation that demands action and we must hold federal agencies accountable to address it."

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), millions of Americans are exposed to unsafe levels of PFAS through their drinking water and contamination has been found across the country, much of it around industrial facilities and Department of Defense (DoD) installations.

H.R. 535 will provide the protections impacted communities need quickly and for the long term. The PFAS Action Act of 2019 would require EPA to use tools under several environmental statutes to:

Stem the flow of PFAS contamination into the environment by requiring cleanup of contaminated sites, setting air emission limits, prohibiting unsafe incineration of PFAS, and limiting the introduction of new PFAS chemicals into commerce;
Identify health risks by requiring comprehensive health testing for all PFAS exposure, reporting of PFAS releases, and monitoring for PFAS in drinking water;
Limit human exposure to PFAS by requiring a drinking water standard for PFAS that protects public health, including the health of vulnerable populations like pregnant women, infants, and children, and holding polluters accountable. The legislation also provides grants to impacted water systems, creates a voluntary label for cookware that is PFAS free, and provides guidance for first responders to limit their exposures.

In August, Rep. Crow signed a letter with over 160 members of Congress on both sides of the aisle urging NDAA conferees to retain provisions that ensure our military is equipped to confront the PFAS contamination challenges present at military bases and surrounding communities.