Draft PFAS Action Plan
We commend Governor Lamont for calling for quick action in addressing this serious human and environmental health concern as well as the numerous agencies, organizations, and individuals who contributed to the work of the task force.
In general, we support many of the initiatives and recommendations put forth in the action plan and offer the following comments:
Strategic Focus 1 — Protect the Health of Connecticut’s Citizens: Minimizing Environmental Exposure to PFAS
The goal of the Human Health Committee was to “minimize environmental exposure to PFAS for Connecticut Residents.” Each of the “Ongoing and Short-Term Actions,” all of which pertain to drinking water, are urgent and necessary actions. However, it is disappointing that actions to address environmental exposure outside of water supply for human consumption were placed in the intermediate action category. The event that prompted this urgent call for action was the release of AFFF to a section of the Farmington River that is not a drinking water supply, but a river of high recreational value. Protection of anglers, paddlers and swimmers as well as the fish and the turtles should be a high priority.
Additionally, Rivers Alliance supports the recommendations for MCLs proposed by Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment and Clean Water Action.
Strategic Focus 2 — Pollution Prevention: Minimizing Future Releases of PFAS to the Environment
With no firm resolution to phase PFAS out of consumer products, remediation efforts will never end and there will be no meaningful reduction in exposure of Connecticut’s citizens to PFAS. A mere evaluation and identification of consumer products that may contain PFAS does not go far enough. The Action Plan should recommend legislation to phase out PFAS in food packaging similar to that passed in Washington State in 2018 and work toward an eventual phase out in all consumer products.