House Dems seek probe of PFAS federal research efforts

摘要

Top House Science, Space and Technology Democrats are requesting a probe of how EPA is coordinating research efforts on a class of toxic chemicals. Energy Subcommittee Chairwoman Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas), Environment Subcommittee Chairwoman Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) asked the Government Accountability Office to evaluate EPA's efforts and progress to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. They want to know how the agency is working with other arms of the federal government in seeking PFAS-related innovations. "[A]s Members of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, we believe a thorough understanding of the current state of PFAS science is critical to understanding the extent of the problem, cleaning up contaminated sites, addressing health effects, and setting future policy," the lawmakers wrote. The letter comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement about how exposure to PFAS can intersect with COVID-19, "citing evidence that PFAS exposure reduces antibody responses to vaccines and resistance to infectious diseases," the lawmakers wrote.