State lawmakers introduced a bill on Wednesday that would keep toxic “forever chemicals” out of California’s drinking water.
About 12 million Californians have tap water that contains PFAS, a category of chemicals that have been used since the 1940s in everything from non-stick cookware to stain-resistant fabrics.
“Unfortunately, the science here is clear,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who introduced the bill. “Exposure to PFAS has been linked to serious health harms, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, reproductive harm, and developmental issues in infants and children.”
The EPA set drinking water standards last year to combat PFAS contamination, but Dr. Julian Mello, an OB-GYN at UC Davis, said there’s a “real risk” those protections will be rolled back.
“We cannot afford to let that happen,” Mello said.
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Scott Faber with the Environmental Working Group pointed out that some people who used to work for companies that discharged PFAS into the water supply are now being appointed to EPA leadership by President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Polluters are not just putting pressure on the EPA to weaken or rescind the drinking water standard. They are literally running the EPA,” he said.
A handful of other states already have their own safe drinking water laws in place.
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