Enclosed is a copy of an open access article recently published in Environmental Science & Technology letters: Scientific Basis for Managing PFAS as a Chemical Class. (Managing PFAS as a Class). Continue reading
Posts made in August 2020
EPA Will Not Set Perchlorate MCL (June 17, 2020)
This morning the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted a pre-publication Federal Register notice (perchlorate_Fed Reg_prebpub_2020-06-18) indicating that the Agency will not establish a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for perchlorate. Continue reading
SWRCB Adopts Microplastics Definition (June 16, 2020)
At today’s State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) meeting, the Board voted to adopt the proposed definition of microplastics in drinking water. Continue reading
EPA PFAS Regulatory Determination (June 11, 2020)
In March 2020 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published preliminary regulatory determinations to begin the process to propose and promulgate drinking water regulations for PFOA and PFOS. The public comment period on the preliminary regulatory determinations closed yesterday, June 10, 2020. Continue reading
TSCA Fluoridation Trial Underway
The trial in a San Francisco challenging drinking water fluoridation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) got underway yesterday (June 8, 2020). There have been a few articles posted on the internet about the trial: Continue reading
NJDEP Adopts PFAS MCLs, Microplastics
NJDEP Adopts PFAS MCLs
Yesterday (June 1, 2020), the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) adopted MCLs of 14 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and 13 ppt for PFOS. In 2018, NJDEP adopted an MCL for Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA) of 13 ppt. Continue reading
DDW Releases Updated PFAS Sampling Guidance
In 2019, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Division of Drinking Water (DDW) issued guidance for PFAS sampling. DDW has released an updated version of the guidance document (ddw_pfas_sampling_guidance_may_2020). Continue reading
EPA and Proposed MCL for Perchlorate
May 15, 2020, in the last couple of days there has been updated information released regarding EPA’s proposed MCL for perchlorate (see background discussion below). Continue reading
Update on Fluoridation Lawsuit
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Fluoridation Lawsuit
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the scheduled April 20, 2020 trial start date for the TSCA fluoridation lawsuit was postponed until June 8, 2020. Currently the trial is scheduled to be conducted via video conference. Continue reading
EPA Regulatory Determination PFAS – 30 Day Extension
In today’s Federal Register (May 1, 2020; EPA_Fed Reg_CCL4 Reg Det_Extension) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending the deadline for submitting public comments on its Candidate Contaminant List 4 (CCL4) Regulatory Determinations from May 11, 2020 to June 10, 2020.
Background on the CCL4 Regulatory Determinations
On March 10, 2020 EPA published for a 60-day public comment period a regulatory determination for eight unregulated contaminants on the CCL4 (copy of March 10, 2020 Federal Register is enclosed). EPA is proposing the following regulatory decisions:
- EPA will develop regulations for: PFOS and PFOA.
- EPA will not regulate the following: 1,1- dichloroethane, acetochlor, methyl bromide (bromomethane), metolachlor, nitrobenzene, and RDX.