EPA to rollback 'forever chemical' rule, extend timelines

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The EPA will rescind much of the Biden administration's first nationwide drinking water standard aimed at protecting people from toxic "forever chemicals" known as PFAS found in many household items, but will maintain current limits on two of these chemicals, it announced on Wednesday.

Dubbed "forever chemicals" because they do not easily break down in the human body or environment, PFAS are found in hundreds of consumer and commercial products, including non-stick pans, cosmetics, firefighting foams and stain-resistant clothing.

The rule finalized last year by the EPA under the Biden administration had set limits for five individual PFAS chemicals: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA. It gave all public water systems three years to complete monitoring for these chemicals and required them to inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water.

In cases where PFAS chemicals are found at levels that exceed the standards, the water systems were required to install systems to reduce PFAS in their drinking water by 2029.

Under the new proposal under President Donald Trump, the EPA would allow drinking water systems more time to develop plans for addressing PFOA and PFOS and extend the compliance date for those two PFAS chemicals to 2031.

It would also rescind the regulations and reconsider the regulatory determinations for the other three PFAS chemicals.

EPA plans to issue a proposed rule this fall and finalize it by spring 2026.

"This will support water systems across the country, including small systems in rural communities, as they work to address these contaminants," EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement. "EPA will also continue to use its regulatory and enforcement tools to hold polluters accountable.”

Separately, the state of New Jersey on Tuesday announced what it called the largest statewide PFAS settlement of $450 million in the state's history with chemicals producer 3M.

The EPA also announced on Wednesday it will launch a campaign called PFAS OUT to connect with every public water utility known to need capital improvements to address PFAS in their system.

(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici, Editing by William Maclean)

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