WASHINGTON – US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is applauding the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to designate two of the most widely used PFAS substances as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, also known as the Superfund.
She said the EPA’s proposed designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances is a critical action to increase transparency and hold polluters accountable for their PFAS discharges.
Several years ago, the City of Newburgh’s reservoir – Washington Lake – was found to contain those chemicals and was shut down. The city has since been buying water from the New York City Catskill Aqueduct with the state picking up the tab.
The source of the contamination was determined to be from firefighting foam used by the Stewart Airport Air National Guard Base, not far from Washington Lake.
The state installed a filtration system at Washington Lake, but that drinking water source remains unused.
Gillibrand said the reporting of a release of those PFAS chemicals could potentially accelerate privately financed cleanups and mitigate potential adverse impacts to human health and the environment.
