EPA Releases PFAS Strategic Roadmap
On October 18, 2021, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the release of the agency’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap describing the agency’s proposed course of action to address PFAS in the environment over the next four years.
The Roadmap establishes specific timelines by which EPA plans to take actions intended to enhance the collection of relevant PFAS data and the development of new PFAS regulations. The initiatives include a new national testing and reporting strategy, a regulatory effort to establish national drinking water standards for PFAS, hazardous substances designations, establishment of effluent guideline limitations, and work to evaluate PFAS air emissions. Execution of the Roadmap will involve new rulemakings under CERCLA, TSCA, the SDWA and the CWA.
Key actions set out in the Roadmap include:
Establishment of a national primary drinking water regulation for PFOA and PFOS, including public water supply monitoring requirements. EPA expects a to propose a rule in the fall 2022 and publish a final rule in the fall of 2023.
Restriction on PFAS discharges from industrial sources through an Effluent Limitations Guidelines program establishing national technology-based regulatory limits. EPA expects to introduce these guidelines in 2022.
Leveraging the NPDES permit program to reduce PFAS discharges and enhance discharge monitoring.
Designation of certain PFAS as CERCLA hazardous substances. EPA expects to propose a CERCLA rule in the spring of 2022 and publish a final rule in the summer of 2023.
Review of TSCA to assess how the statute can best ensure that existing and proposed PFAS use and manufacturing do not threaten human health and the environment.
Finalization of new PFAS reporting requirements under TSCA Section 8. EPA expects to accomplish this goal during the winter of 2022.
Enhancement of PFAS reporting under the Toxics Release Inventory through a revised rule that removes certain exemptions and exclusions for toxic chemical reporting. EPA expects to propose a rule in the spring of 2022.
The Roadmap was developed by EPA’s Council on PFAS which was established in April of 2021 and includes the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, the Office of Water, the Office of Land and Emergency Management, the Office of Research and Development, the Office of Air and Radiation, the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and the Office of General Counsel.
The agency will hold two webinars to discuss the proposal on October 26 and November 2.
EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-10/pfas-roadmap_final-508.pdf