WASHINGTON – Today Congress approved the long-awaited Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, that includes a new grant program to help airports kick-start the transition to firefighting foams without the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
The grant program, which will be run by the FAA, was added to the legislation thanks to the efforts of House and Senate leaders.
The following is a statement from Jessica Hernandez, policy director for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group.
Firefighting foam made with PFAS stands as one of the main sources of water contamination from toxic ‘forever chemicals’ across the nation.
The PFAS replacement grant program marks an essential shift toward safeguarding public health and the environment. Not only will it help airports expedite their transition to PFAS-free alternatives, it will also protect firefighters and the many communities near airports – long besieged by decades of PFAS-contaminated drinking water – from further exposure.
EWG recognizes the bipartisan efforts that went into securing this program in the final bill. We applaud the leadership of the Senate Commerce Committee and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the dedication of Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) for making this a priority, as well as every member of Congress who supported the program’s inclusion over the course of the bill’s finalization.
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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
