For Immediate Release | May 19th, 2025
NATIONAL – For nearly over a decade, PFAS-contaminated community groups have been on the frontlines demanding federal protection from PFAS exposures. The National PFAS Contamination Coalition (NPCC), which includes over 42 community groups acutely impacted by PFAS contamination, fiercely opposes EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s announcement that will weaken standards for four PFAS and delay the implementation of two others.
“This announcement is devastating,” shared National PFAS Contamination Coalition Co-Facilitator Sandy Wynn-Stelt. “We already waited far too long for these drinking water standards. People have been exposed for decades, and people are getting sick.”
PFAS are a class of highly toxic chemicals that have been linked to serious health problems, such as cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, and immune system disorders. They are often called “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment. There are currently no proven, safe disposal methods for PFAS.
“Impacted communities have been raising the alarm bells and tirelessly organizing for drinking water protections for years. This is a disturbing step in the wrong direction.” said Dana Colihan, co-facilitator of the National PFAS Contamination Coalition and Co-Executive Director of Slingshot.
Communities all across the nation were contaminated by PFAS without consent for decades while a handful of chemical companies, along with the US military and civilian fire service, knowingly hid the dangers of these toxicants from regulators, soldiers, firefighters, factory-workers, and the general public.
The EPA acknowledges there are over 14,000 different PFAS compounds primarily used as convenience chemicals for stain- and water-resistance properties. In the United States, PFAS contamination impacts over 200 million people’s drinking water sources, and PFAS have been detected in 99% of American bodies.
The National PFAS Contamination Coalition strongly urges Administrator Zeldin to reconsider the EPA’s trajectory regarding PFAS. Delaying or rolling back existing federal PFAS standards will place an unfair burden back on communities to demand public water providers once again voluntarily test, monitor and treat for the short chain and ultrashort chain PFAS currently in commercial use.
“We will continue to fight to protect strong drinking water standards, for justice for the victims of PFAS exposure, and to turn off the tap of contamination to ensure a contamination crisis of this scale never happens again” remarked NPCC co-facilitator Dana Colihan.
Responses from community members impacted by PFAS contamination around the country:
Laurene Allen of Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water in Merrimack, NH: “As a PFAS impacted community advocate who has been engaged in federal policy since the first in the nation 2018 EPA PFAS listening session in NH, I am stunned at this administration’s course which moves us backwards. The national water standards for 6 PFAS are based on the most rigorous science and the EPA is well aware of the harm to health from drinking water exposure. We are exposed as a class, keeping the focus on 2 legacy PFAS ignores the immense body of toxicological evidence the EPA has accrued is a travesty. In an administration that claims they will Make America Healthy Again, today’s announcement is an insultive action that shows how reality is being manipulated for profits.”
Emily Donovan of Clean Cape Fear in Wilmington, NC: “This current administration promised voters it would ‘Make America Healthy Again’ but rescinding part of the PFAS drinking water standards does no such thing. It’s disrespectful to PFAS contaminated communities who have suffered debilitating illnesses and devastating losses. This is a clear victory for the trillion dollar chemical industry–not public health. Americans need to call their members of congress immediately and demand action.”
Jennifer Rawlison of Newburgh Clean Water Project in Newburgh, NY: “This unjustified reversal of protections by the current administration is a slap in the face to millions of people across the nation in impacted communities like ours and most telling, ignores the findings of health & science agencies the government itself funded. Instead, we’ve an administration sanctifying corporate profits over people’s lives, which will result in the next generations having shorter, unhealthier lives than their parents and grandparents.”
Andrea Amico of Testing for Pease in Portsmouth, NH: “EPA’s announcement of rollbacks and delays to the PFAS MCLs will cause serious impacts to human health. Millions of Americans have been exposed to numerous PFAS for far too long and weakening the protections are a step in the wrong direction. The EPA needs to prioritize public health over the interests of big businesses and influential groups that put profits before people. We deserve better from the EPA and will continue to fiercely fight for the protections from PFAS that we all deserve.”
Stel Bailey of Fight for Zero in Cocoa, FL: “The national regulations on PFAS have played a vital role in safeguarding Americans from drinking poisoned water. Any efforts to weaken these safeguards would directly oppose the values this administration claims to champion, especially concerning making America healthy again. This is not a move toward a healthier future. After decades of exposure, we cannot afford any further delays.”
Hope Grosse of Buxmont Coalition for Safe Water in Warminster, PA: “As a member of an impacted community who has lived a lifetime with PFAS exposure, I am alarmed and deeply fearful. The rollback of this critical law, after over a decade of scientific research and clear evidence of the deadly harm PFAS chemicals cause to human health, is not only reckless—it is heartbreaking. This decision flies in the face of the current administration’s promise to “Make America healthy.” Communities like mine have already paid the price with our health, our trust, and our future. We cannot afford to take a step backward now.”
Joanne Stanton of Buxmont Coalition for Safer Water in Warminster, PA: “This announcement is a complete betrayal of public trust from the very same agency who proudly set this historic drinking water standard last year. The standard was deeply grounded in science to reduce PFAS exposure for an estimated 100 million people. A complete turn around that clearly shows politics over public health”.
Liz Rosenbaum & Mark Favors of Fountain Valley Clean Water Coalition in Fountain, CO: “Hearing Lee Zeldin, administrator of the EPA, state that there will be a rollback of PFAS MCLs is alarming. Weakening the drinking water standards will continue extreme harm to families and cause confusion about the concern for children. In the Fountain Valley communities, 5 military installations caused military members to become ill (again), this is not how we treat our troops! PFAS poisoning is comparable to Agent Orange, and it is forced onto everyone.”
Cindy Boyle of Marinette, WI: “Today’s decision by the Trump EPA to undo science-based standards, which prioritized public health, will lead to more kidney cancer, more testicular cancer, more delayed childhood development, more neurotoxic damage and the list continues to grow with time and truth. The EPA has the fundamental role of identifying risk and enforcing safeguards for our water, this action places the public in grave harm while providing polluters the assurance that they have little concern for accountability.”
Ayesha Khan & Jaime Honkawa of Nantucket PFAS Action Group in Nantucket, MA: “Firefighters and their communities have already been exposed to PFAS for decades through foam and gear. They shouldn’t also have to worry about drinking contaminated water. Rolling back protections now denies us all the basic safety we have long been owed.”
Tony Spaniola of Need Our Water (NOW) in Oscoda, MI: “The EPA’s proposed actions will make the drinking water of millions of people across the country less safe. Among the hardest hit will be members of the armed services and military communities, as the signature chemical in the military’s long-used firefighting foam, PFHxS, will be left completely unregulated.”
Cheryl Cail, Acting Chief, Waccamaw Indian People and of Idle No More SC in Myrtle Beach, SC: “The long-time suffering of communities impacted by PFAS contamination, enduring severe illnesses and loss, are seeing the broken promise to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ as the EPA sets its sights on repealing standards that would protect over 1 million people from this cancer and disease-causing contamination. Chemical companies and water utilities have unduly influenced the EPA to put profits over people. Contact your members of Congress to ask that they demand the EPA to stop this illegal reversal of previous EPA standards.”
Allison Jumper of Durham, NH: “PFAS in drinking water is dangerous to human health, the EPA was clear about this when it set new PFAS MCL standards in 2024. By weakening these water standards and delaying compliance with these standards, preventable illness will occur. There is no time left for delay in taking action to remove PFAS from the drinking water in this country. It is time to stop prioritizing the profits of industry over public health, and time to stop poisoning the people of this country without their consent.”
Arnie Leriche of Wurtsmith Restoration Advisory Board in Oscoda, MI: “Our children and communities have been significantly and knowingly exposed to PFAS chemicals for over 50 years by our own federal government and private chemical manufacturers. EPA must continue implanting CERCLA with NO delays, especially those current commitments and efforts to speed up remediation of PFAS contamination and hold polluters accountable! Therefore, we respectfully demand that our federal government fully support and fund the DoD’s Cleanup commitment to use the 2024 MCLs as they prioritize their CERCLA (Superfund) obligations.”
###
National PFAS Contamination Coalition 