Bill Text: MI HR0379 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to address PFAS contamination and regulate PFAS more strictly to safeguard human health and the environment.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-09-05 - Referred To Committee On Natural Resources [HR0379 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2017-HR0379-Introduced.html
Rep. Lucido offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 379.
A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to address PFAS contamination and regulate PFAS more strictly to safeguard human health and the environment.
Whereas, Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of human-made compounds that are used extensively as coatings and repellents in industrial and commercial products. They are often found in packaging, carpeting, leather products, nonstick cookware coatings, and firefighting foams. Once released into the environment, these chemicals persist in soil and water; and
Whereas, Exposure to PFAS may have serious health consequences. Laboratory animal research and epidemiological studies associate PFAS exposure with harmful health outcomes, such as pregnancy-induced hypertension, liver damage, high cholesterol, and thyroid disease. As a result, two of the most common PFAS, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are being replaced in products with other PFAS. However, there have been growing health concerns about the replacements as well, such as GenX and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS); and
Whereas, PFAS contamination has been detected at sites in Michigan and across the country. Areas around military bases are often particularly affected due to the extensive use of firefighting foams. To date, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has confirmed 34 sites with PFAS contamination throughout the state, including 10 sites on or near active or former military bases. Nationwide, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) has detected PFAS contamination in 36 military base drinking water systems in 23 states. Near bases, DoD reports PFAS contamination in 564 drinking water systems and 1,621 groundwater wells; and
Whereas, The DEQ is working with federal, state, and local stakeholders to investigate and address PFAS contamination but has been hampered by the lack of federal funding. The $23.2 million in Michigan PFAS response appropriations passed in 2017 is a small fraction of the funds needed to properly address the issue. The DEQ estimates that cleaning up the Wurtsmith Air Force Base alone will total $180 million; and
Whereas, Despite the growing scientific evidence of the dangers of PFAS, there are no enforceable thresholds for PFAS in drinking water under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS are non-regulatory and non-enforceable; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to set enforceable standards for PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and PFBS, that are applicable to drinking water systems, groundwater, and surface waters; and be it further
Resolved, That we urge Congress and the EPA to develop stricter federal regulations for the use, handling, cleanup, and disposal of these same subsets of PFAS through amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund), and other applicable federal law; and be it further
Resolved, That we request Congress and the EPA to provide the funding and other resources necessary to properly assess and manage PFAS contamination, particularly contamination originating from federal facilities; and be it further
Resolved, That we call for Congress and the EPA to take action to curtail and more tightly regulate military use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams and other harmful chemicals that are impacting areas that host military bases; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
