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Senate Committee evaluates EPA's plan on PFAS chemicals

Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works holds hearing on PFAS chemicals
Benjy Jeffords
/
WSIU
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works holds hearing on PFAS chemicals

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing Wednesday to evaluate the EPA’s new plan for dealing with PFAS pollution.

The EPA released a strategic roadmap for cleaning up and preventing the use of polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances.

PFAS chemicals have been used in a variety of products and industries for decades, but stay in the environment forever and are highly dangerous to all forms of life in high amounts of exposure.

US Senator Tammy Duckworth says through some bipartisan infrastructure bill's the EPA will have more than $10 billion to combat PFAS pollution.

“These historic investments would deliver significant benefits to low-income communities, in particular rural areas as well, and communities of color. And it will help rewrite the past wrongs of allowing our military families and industrial communities to bear the brunt of toxic chemical dumping.”

In September 50,000 gallons of PFAS foam was pumped into the Sugar Camp Energy mine in an unsuccessful attempt to put out a fire - chemicals are now showing up in nearby streams.

Benjy Jeffords is a digital media production specialist at WSIU Public Broadcasting located at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Contact WSIU Radio at 618-453-6101 or email wsiunews@wsiu.org
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