The Lawmaker Fighting Forever Chemicals
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a former small-scale organic farmer, is worried about the impact of so-called forever chemicals on the people who grow our food.
February 15, 2023 | Source: Politico | by Marcia Brown
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a former small-scale organic farmer, is worried about the impact of so-called forever chemicals on the people who grow our food.
She’s part of the bipartisan delegation leading the charge on the federal response to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and a member of the Congressional PFAS Task Force. The Maine lawmakers introduced legislation last Congress for testing and disaster relief. They also secured $5 million in the recent omnibus package for the Agriculture Department to test for the toxic chemicals and provide relief to farmers.
Maine’s delegation plans to reintroduce the bill this Congress, but the House Appropriations Committee member says it’s only the beginning of how she hopes the federal government will meet the emerging need, which goes far beyond farmers. EPA announced $2 billion in funding on Monday from the bipartisan infrastructure law to pay for testing and treatment of drinking water.