Two national utility groups representing many of Long Island's waters this week filed a new federal lawsuit this week seeking to overturn restrictions established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last April on toxic “eternal chemicals.”
The new limit sets the largest contamination levels for six groups of PFA, known by critics as “eternal chemicals” – the two most common ones are limited to four trillion parts.
The lawsuit is now merged with another case brought about by multiple chemical and manufacturing companies seeking to withdraw EPA's Biden-era guidelines.
Both groups argue that the EPA failed to follow the appropriate procedures in determining limits, and that the rules will cost businesses that annually cost billions of dollars of dollars per year to meet the new standards.
“This could set a dangerous precedent for future contaminants and something else the EPA wanted to do,” claimed Jeff Zabo, CEO of the Suffolk County Water Department.
“The EPA didn't follow the proper process,” declared Szabo, chairman of the National Metropolitan Water Agency.
PFA, or Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, are over 14,000 chemicals used in products such as non-stick cooking utensils and food containers.
According to multiple independent studies and officials, PFA is also known as “eternal chemicals” because it cannot break down, so PFA is detected in most of Long Island drinking water.
Experts say these chemicals penetrate groundwater aquafar and are linked to serious health issues such as cancer, organ damage and infertility when consumed.
Pro-business advocates argue that the deregulation will create more competition and drive economic growth, but some local leaders don't want to roll back the standards.
Among those opposing the lawsuit is Nassau Rep. Michael Solege, who held the Water Quality City Hall for the county on Thursday.
“This is a public health crisis,” Solage told the Post about the lawsuit.
Lawmakers argue that these one-year-old guidelines are just the beginning of what is needed to improve water quality on Long Island, and that private companies cannot “poison” Americans because implementing new standards is not profitable.
“They basically say they want to sell poison to Americans,” Sollage said.
“Long Island has the highest cancer rate in the country,” a Congresswoman pointed out.
“We can't pinpoint the exact reason for one reason, but I think our high level of PFA is probably playing a role.”
The high levels of chemicals detected across the island are under legal restrictions, but alongside health experts, Solages explained that legality is not necessarily comparable to health.
“There's no such thing as a safe level of these chemicals,” Solarges told the Post.
Solarges is currently fighting the lawsuit and is looking for a way to “ensure public water companies can effectively exclude these chemicals” by asking state officials to invest in water infrastructure.
