news

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) released the following statement in support of a bipartisan coalition of US governors -led by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer – calling for strong action on PFAS chemicals in defense authorization legislation:

“With the news of more PFAS contamination at military sites across the country, everyone must be serious about addressing this public health and safety threat. Because of Governor Whitmer’s leadership, governors of both parties are united in support of strong policies to protect human health and the environment and clean up PFAS contamination,” said Dingell.

“The House passed a strong defense authorization bill. It’s critical Democrats and Republicans from the House and Senate come together on a final bill that includes provisions to list PFAS as a hazardous substance so we get resources to clean up nearly the 300 military sites identified with PFAS across the country.”

A copy of the letter from the Governors is available here.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the House in July and is currently in conference between the House and Senate. The House-passed version includes three amendments by Dingell to address PFAS contamination. The amendments designate PFAS as a hazardous substance for the purpose of clean up under the EPA’s Superfund Program, ban the use of PFAS in materials used to produce MRE’s consumed by service men and women in the field and during training, and require military instillations to cooperate with states as PFAS contamination is detected near these facilities.

###