Earlier this month (May 2021), 3M sued the State of Michigan in an effort to overturn MCLs adopted in August 2020 for seven PFAS (see below).
Michigan National Public Radio quoted from a 3M statement as follows:
“Environmental regulations should be set using established processes and rigorous science that provide public transparency and accountability for regulators. In its rush to establish these regulations, the State of Michigan acted arbitrarily without measured consideration of the scientific evidence, nor serious consideration of the costs, particularly considering the speculative benefits of these regulations’ enforcement. This lawsuit aims to prevent these arbitrary, burdensome restrictions from being implemented unless regulators follow prescribed processes for rulemaking.”
From Michigan’s Press Release here is part of the State’s response:
“3M profited for years from its sale of PFAS products and concealed its evidence of adverse health impacts from state and federal regulators,” said Attorney General Nessel. “It is no coincidence that this out-of-state company is resorting to attempts to rewrite our state’s standards put in place to protect Michiganders from PFAS in their drinking water. 3M knows it is responsible to address contamination in Michigan and it has been unwilling to do so. Now, it wants to change the rules so that it can continue to shirk its responsibility to Michigan residents and to the health of the water resources that define our state.”
Michigan Press Release in response to the lawsuit:
https://www.michigan.gov/minewswire/0,4629,7-136-3452-558805–,00.html
Michigan National Public Radio article:
https://www.michiganradio.org/post/minnesota-based-3m-sues-michigan-over-pfas-regulations
Background
In 2017 Michigan created MPART [Michigan PFAS Action Response Team] in response to PFAS contamination throughout the State. MPART consists of members from the following State government departments: Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; Health and Human Services; Natural Resources; Agriculture and Rural Development; Transportation; Military and Veteran Affairs; and Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
In March 2019, Governor Whitmer directed MPART to form a Science Advisory Workgroup that would “inform the rulemaking process for appropriate MCLs for PFAS.” In June 2019 the three-member Science Advisory Workgroup recommended “health based” levels for the seven PFAS. Three public hearings were held on the proposed MCLs in January 2020. In August 2020 Michigan adopted final MCLs for the following seven PFAS:
PFNA (Perfluorononanoic acid) – 6 parts per trillion (ppt)
PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) – 8 ppt
PFHxA (Perfluorohexanoic acid) – 400,000 ppt
PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) – 16 ppt
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonate) – 51 ppt
PFBS (Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid) – 420 ppt
HFPO-DA (Hexafluoropropylene oxide or Gen-X) – 370 ppt
