WASHINGTON, D.C. — A coalition led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released the statement below in response to EPA’s announced rule regulating cleanup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The rule comes just days after the Office of Management and Budget designated the rule as “economically significant,” requiring additional analysis of the direct and indirect costs of implementation. The Chamber and our coalition called for that designation in our PFAS private cleanup costs report , transmittal letter to OMB, and blog post.
Besides the Chamber, the coalition includes: Aerospace Industries Association, American Apparel and Footwear Association, America Forest & Paper Association, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, American Petroleum Institute, Council of Industrial Boiler Owners, Flexible Packaging Association, International Liquid Terminals Association, National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Council of Textile Organizations, National Mining Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, Plastics Industry Association, PRINTING United Alliance and Superfund Settlements Project.
“The business community supports accelerating cleanup of PFAS. Protecting public health and the environment is a top priority for companies and communities alike. However, CERCLA is the wrong tool to make this happen. It would slow current cleanups, impose significant liability and compliance costs, and lead to unintended consequences, without effectively addressing the challenges presented by PFAS. We call on EPA to withdraw this proposal and instead use its existing authority to drive cleanups. Further, we encourage the agency to engage in a national dialogue with all stakeholders to promote the innovation and science-based decision-making needed to develop workable and effective solutions.”
