The EPA has recently put forward a new federal PFAS mitigation strategy, which focuses on tackling PFAS across its full lifecycle.
Last week, leadership from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new federal strategy to address PFAS contamination nationwide. The effort focuses on the full PFAS lifecycle and is backed by nearly $1 billion in new funding for states to address PFAS in drinking water. A major emphasis of the new approach is practical implementation, with renewed attention on how infrastructure operators can put mitigation measures into practice.
As part of this effort, EPA awarded Maryland $9,687,000 through the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities grant program. The funding will help communities, drinking water systems, and private well owners with testing, planning, and infrastructure projects related to PFAS and other emerging contaminants.
In addition to the funding, EPA is also moving to create a new opt-in process for systems struggling to meet new mitigation deadlines. Eligible systems would need to apply for a two-year extension, pushing compliance timelines to 2031. It will likely take some time before this opportunity is formally available to system operators, but the process is expected to be finalized within the next year.
