WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its new per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) rule that declares PFAS a hazardous substance under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) which would greatly harm Wyoming’s rural water providers and ratepayers who will have to foot the bill for contamination instead of those actually causing it.
“Wyoming’s water utilities, industries and citizens did not create PFAS and should not be forced to foot the bill for costly clean up actions, nor should they be open to endless lawsuits under CERCLA. Instead of finding a common-sense solution, EPA continues to offset this burden on innocent people rather than holding those causing the pollution responsible,” said Lummis. “This new rule represents yet another flagrant EPA overreach and is a solution in search of a problem.”
Earlier this month, Senator Lummis publicly expressed concern after the EPA finalized its drinking water standards for PFAS maximum contaminant levels for drinking water and has remained an outspoken opponent of this administration’s misplaced and onerous climate-change-centered policies.
Last year, she introduced a suite of bills to ensure those responsible for contamination are liable and responsible for the cost of cleanup not rural water systems and taxpayers through rate increases.
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