Senate Environment Panel Leaders Demand EPA Halt Rollback of National PFAS Water Caps

WASHINGTON, DC — A bicameral coalition of 24 Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ranking members, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday to immediately withdraw proposed rule changes that would weaken statutory drinking water standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Safe Drinking Water Act and Regulatory Thresholds

The congressional petition challenges an EPA draft guidance published last month that seeks to raise maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PFOA and PFOS from the current enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) up to 20 ppt under the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. § 300f). Lawmakers cited peer-reviewed toxicological studies showing that even trace exposure to persistent fluorinated compounds elevates risks of renal cancer, hepatic damage, and immune dysfunction in children.

The letter asserts that weakening federal standards will compromise municipal water filtration systems currently being installed across 6,000 public water utilities with federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant funding.

Municipal Utility and Public Health Pushback

Water utility associations and state environmental commissioners joined lawmakers in warning that shifting federal benchmarks creates regulatory chaos for local water boards and invites toxic tort litigation.

Senator Sanders emphasized that federal environmental laws must prioritize public health over corporate compliance costs for chemical manufacturers.

Statutory Comment Deadlines

The EPA public comment docket on the proposed drinking water revisions closes on September 15, 2026, with Senate committees planning oversight hearings for late September.