📋 Tender Overview
This week, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the bipartisan . This legislation would reduce drinking water pollution and exposure to toxic forever chemicals for firefighters, service members, and communities by facilitating better management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at Department of Defense (DOD) installations. PFAS chemicals are widespread contaminants found in many industrial applications, firefighting foam, and a variety of consumer products. PFAS exposure is linked to an array of health problems, including various cancers, reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects, thyroid problems, and more. The use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam at DOD facilities and subsequent stormwater runoff is a significant source of drinking water pollution, which poses health threats to service members and their families, veterans, and firefighters. The would facilitate the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) at DOD facilities to mitigate PFAS pollution at the source, before it contaminates drinking water. Specifically, the bill would use a small portion of existing PFAS remediation funding to: Require DOD to regularly monitor for PFAS at DOD installations; and Facilitate the implementation of base-specific BMPs to limit PFAS-laden stormwater runoff at DOD facilities. said Senator Gillibrand This bill is endorsed by the Southern Environmental Law Center. said Jean Zhuang, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. Companion legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. McClellan (D-VA), Kiggans (R-VA), LaLota (R-NY), Ryan (D-NY), Foushee (D-NC), Lawler (R-NY), Cohen (D-TN), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Tlaib (D-MI), and Scott (D-VA). The full text of the bill is available here. ###
