The Trump EPA wants to lift restrictions on four PFAS while maintaining standards for two of the most common compounds linked to cancer and other diseases.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is rolling back some restrictions on “forever chemicals” in drinking water, a move that has angered public health advocates who say it puts millions of Americans at risk.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it will lift restrictions on four PFAS in drinking water and restart the rulemaking process for these substances from scratch. The agency said the Biden administration moved too quickly and failed to follow the law when setting the restrictions.
At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it would impose the strictest restrictions on the two most common and widely studied PFAS compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The bill would require water companies to comply for an additional two years until 2031.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the move, saying the Biden administration “cut corners and failed to comply with the law” by skipping required public comment steps before finalizing limits on the four compounds now being repealed.
The proposal comes at a time when the agency ‘Make America Healthy Again’ faces scrutiny Campaigns on issues like PFAS and pesticides.
The agency said it intends to set new limits on the substances, acknowledging that the revised standards could end up being more stringent than the ones that were eliminated.
Critics point out that there are no guarantees and the process could take years. this environmental working groupThe nonprofit group that tracks chemical contamination called the action “legally dubious” and noted that the Safe Drinking Water Act generally prohibits the government from enacting regulations that are weaker than existing regulations.
“The Trump EPA caved to pressure from chemical industry lobbyists and water companies, and in doing so condemns millions of Americans to drinking contaminated water for years to come,” Ken Cook, chairman and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement.
The four compounds being repealed include the chemical GenX, a PFAS that contaminated North Carolina’s drinking water and caused widespread alarm when it was discovered in 2017.
Manufactured by companies such as Chemours and 3M, PFAS are useful in many applications — which, among other things, help protect clothing from rain and ensure firefighting foam extinguishes flames. But these chemicals can also accumulate in the body. In recent years, as science has advanced, the evidence of harm from low levels has become clearer.
The agency announced nearly $1 billion in new grants to help states and water systems address PFAS contamination. Officials say they have now provided $5 billion over five years through the grant program.
The proposals will be open for public comment for 60 days, with a public hearing scheduled for July 7, 2026.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
