Stabenow, Peters Urge President Biden to Fund PFAS Research & Remediation in Upcoming Budget

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Gary Peters (MI) today urged President Biden to prioritize robust funding to combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget request to Congress. In a letter with their colleagues, Stabenow and Peters asked 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 contamination and exposure has impacted communities and families across Michigan.

“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 wrote. “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,” the Senators continued. “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.”

You can read full text of the letter here.

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