06/21/2024

The EPA's New Limits on PFAS in Drinking Water Face Legal Challenges

Water utilities, chemical companies are challenging the order

Water utilities and chemical companies are challenging a recent rule from the Environmental Protection Agency that limits some PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in drinking water.

At least three lawsuits against the rule were filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit this month, ahead of a June 10 deadline for submitting such challenges. The Safe Water Drinking Act, requires parties challenging a regulation to file a petition within 45 days of its publication in the Federal Register.

The lawsuits, filed by parties that may be directly or indirectly responsible for paying to remove PFAS from tap water, take aim at the EPA’s science, cost analysis, and rulemaking process. Legal experts say the pushback is expected, and it’s not yet clear how much traction these challenges will gain in court.

Please select this link to read the complete article from NPR.