Carper, Coons press for funding for PFAS research & remediation

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined their colleagues on a bipartisan letter urging President Biden to prioritize robust funding to combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget request to Congress. The letter asks for funding to support agencies and programs that will help close gaps in PFAS research, protect public health and the environment from PFAS contamination and support testing and cleanup of contaminated sites.

"PFAS chemicals have emerged as widespread contaminants affecting thousands of communities across the country, causing significant concern for those drinking contaminated water or facing significant exposures through their work or military service," the senators began. "The prevalence of PFAS combined with the adverse health impacts associated with exposure--including developmental effects, changes in liver, immune, and thyroid function and increased risk of some cancers--requires a comprehensive approach."

"We encourage you to provide detailed funding plans for a broad range of agencies and programs in your budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year 2023 to address the scale and scope of the challenges presented by PFAS," they wrote. "Specifically, we ask that your budget request include dedicated funding to close gaps in data and research to better inform responses and drive innovation. Second, we urge prioritization of regulatory work necessary to enhance protections for public health and the environment. Finally, we encourage robust funding to support ongoing testing and cleanup of existing contamination nationwide."

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