Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $28,716,000 from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address emerging contaminants, like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Minnesota drinking water. This investment, which is allocated to states and territories, will be made available to communities as grants through EPA’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program and will promote access to safe and clean water in small, rural, and disadvantaged communities while supporting local economies.
“Too many American communities, especially those that are small, rural, or underserved, are suffering from exposure to PFAS and other harmful contaminants in their drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we are investing in America and providing billions of dollars to strengthen our nation’s water infrastructure while safeguarding people’s health and boosting local economies. These grants build on EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap and will help protect our smallest and most vulnerable communities from these persistent and dangerous chemicals.”
“Emerging contaminants like PFAS are some of the greatest environmental challenges we are facing,” said Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the funds being announced today, EPA is helping states and communities prepare for these threats and better protect the drinking water we all depend on.”
“Every Minnesotan deserves access to safe, clean drinking water no matter where they live,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “But rural communities and communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by harmful contaminants in their drinking water. These investments, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help expand access to safe and clean water in historically underserved communities in Minnesota. I’m proud of our work to secure this funding and will continue working to ensure clean water is a reality for all Minnesotans.”
“I am pleased to hear $28.7 million is headed to Minnesota to address emerging water contaminants like PFAS thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Rep. Betty McCollum. “Ensuring safe and clean drinking water has been a priority of mine throughout my career in Congress, and I’m proud of our work to invest in the health and safety of our communities!”
“PFAS contamination exists across the state including in Greater Minnesota communities, and cleaning it up requires expensive technologies that are often burdensome for small, rural, and Indigenous populations,” said Katrina Kessler, commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “These grants will help ensure the health and safety of Minnesotans by providing access to safe drinking water.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $5 billion over five years to help communities that are on the frontlines of PFAS contamination reduce PFAS in drinking water. EPA announced the funds for Minnesota as part of an allotment of $2 billion to states and territories that can be used to prioritize infrastructure and source water treatment for pollutants, like PFAS and other emerging contaminants, and to conduct water quality testing.
EPA is also releasing the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant Implementation document. The implementation document provides states and communities with the information necessary to use this funding to address local water quality and public health challenges. These grants will enable communities to improve local water infrastructure and reduce emerging contaminants in drinking water by implementing solutions such as installing treatment systems.
Today’s actions represent a significant milestone within the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitments to combat PFAS pollution and safeguard drinking water, and specifically EPA’s October 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap. Under the Roadmap, EPA is working across the agency to protect the public from the health impacts of PFAS. EPA has taken a number of actions to deliver progress on PFAS including:
- Proposing to designate two PFAS as CERCLA hazardous substances. If finalized, this will be a critical step toward increasing transparency around releases of PFAS and holding polluters accountable for cleaning up their contamination.
- Releasing drinking water health advisories. Acting in accordance with EPA’s mission to protect public health and keep communities and public health authorities informed when new science becomes available, the Agency issued drinking water health advisories for four PFAS.
- Laying the foundation to enhance data on PFAS. This included an order under EPA’s National PFAS Testing Strategy requiring companies to conduct PFAS testing, and nationwide sampling through the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule for 29 PFAS in public drinking water systems .
- Expanding the scientific understanding of PFAS. The Agency issued more than 30 scientific publications by EPA researchers and released EPA’s PFAS Thermal Treatment Database.
- Translating the latest science into EPA’s cross-agency PFAS efforts. This included updating EPA’s contaminated site cleanup tables, developing new PFAS methods and conducting toxicity assessments, and issuing draft national recommended water quality criteria to protect aquatic life.
- Continuing engagement with the public. EPA’s PFAS work was informed by public webinars, stakeholder meetings, Congressional testimony, and engagement with EPA’s federal advisory committees.
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