Peters Statement on the EPA’s PFAS Action Plan

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today released the statement below following the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issuing their PFAS Action Plan: Program Update:

“The EPA’s update to their Action Plan does not provide affected Michiganders the immediate action needed to address the PFAS crisis. I will continue working to advance measures that will force the EPA to take swift action to ensure our drinking water is safe and establish strong PFAS standards now. We must also make sure that federal resources are properly deployed to protect our communities from these hazardous chemicals.”

Serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee and as Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters has led numerous efforts to increase resources for PFAS remediation efforts. Last month, the Senator led members of the Michigan Congressional delegation in urging the Air Force to allocate additional resources to cleanup efforts at the former Wurtsmith and K.I. Sawyer Air Force Bases. Additionally, during a visit to the former Wurtsmith Base last April with Assistant Air Force Secretary for Installations, Environment and Energy John Henderson, Peters held a joint public forum in which he urged the Air Force to do more to mitigate PFAS contamination in the area.

Peters helped secure bipartisan provisions that were signed into law in December to address PFAS contamination in Michigan and across the country, including a provision that will phase out the Department of Defense’s use of firefighting foam containing PFAS. Peters also helped enact a provision he worked on with U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow that aims to increase coordination on PFAS remediation efforts between the Department of Defense and states.

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