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State committee approves proposed PFAS standards. What's next?

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Melissa Benmark
/
Michigan Radio

Michigan could have new PFAS rules in place as early as April. That's after the Environmental Rules Review Committee approved the proposed rules Thursday.

The committee voted to approve a set of draft rules regulating the industrial contaminants, which includes drinking water standards for seven types of PFAS.

Here’s a breakdown of the limits that were approved:

PFNA (6-ppt); PFOA (8-ppt); PFOS (16-ppt); PFHxS (51-ppt); GenX (370-ppt); PFBS (420-ppt); and PFHxA (400,000-ppt).

During the ERRC meeting, multiple members of the committee pointed out that most residents who provided public comment were in favor of the draft rules. 

Scott Dean, a spokesman for the Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), says these PFAS rules would also include requirements for notifying residents about contamination and testing, groundwater sampling, and laboratory certification.

“So Michigan is well on the way to having some of the most comprehensive and stringent PFAS standards in the nation,” Dean said.

Dean says the rules are now headed to the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules, then to a state Legislature committee known as the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. He says the rules could be officially adopted as early as April of this year.

“It’s clearly something that has bipartisan support and is all about protecting the public from unacceptable levels of these PFAS compounds in their drinking water,” he said.

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Bryce Huffman was Michigan Radio’s West Michigan Reporter and host of Same Same Different. He is currently a reporter for Bridge Detroit.
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