What's happening
This bill requires New York to set maximum contaminant levels for PFCAs and PFSAs in public drinking water to protect health.
Why it matters
Mandates a thorough scientific review. The bill requires the health commissioner to conduct a comprehensive examination of PFCAs and PFSAs, ensuring that regulatory decisions are based on up-to-date research about the health risks of these chemicals.
Directs swift government action. By allowing emergency rulemaking if necessary, the bill empowers the state to rapidly implement drinking water standards when urgent threats to public health are identified, rather than waiting through lengthy regulatory processes.
Expands protection beyond current standards. Many existing regulations focus only on a few PFAS chemicals; this legislation broadens oversight to cover the entire class of PFCAs and PFSAs, which have been linked to cancer, immune issues, and other health problems.
Signals prioritization of public health over industry concerns. The explicit instruction to set contaminant levels “protective of public health” indicates a precautionary approach, potentially leading to stricter water quality standards that could affect municipal utilities and industries using these chemicals.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Limit Toxic Chemicals in Water
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
773
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sens. BRESLIN, BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing maximum contaminant levels for perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) in public drinking water
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 1100-b to read as follows:
§ 1100-b. Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs). 1. The commissioner shall conduct a comprehensive examination of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and establish a maximum contaminant level for the presence of any perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids in public supplies of potable water that is protective of public health.
2. Such examination and drinking water standard for perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids shall be implemented in accordance with the state administrative procedure act and be completed as soon as practicable, including implementation by emergency rule if determined by the commissioner as necessary to protect public health.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05961-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing maxi- mum contaminant levels for perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) in public drinking water
Purpose
This bill directs the Department of Health to conduct a health review of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids and establish maximum contaminant levels for their presence in public water supplies that is protective of public health.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill would amend the public health law to add a new section 1100-b directing the commissioner of the department of health to conduct a comprehensive health review of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids and establish maximum contaminant levels for their presence in public supplies of potable water that is protective of public health. This section further directs the department of health to complete this review as soon as practicable while adhering to existing rulemaking procedures.
Section two establishes the effective date.
Justification
The recent contamination of drinking water in several New York communi- ties by perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) has raised significant concerns regarding public health. Communities affected by contamination from these chemicals include: Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Suffolk County; Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh in Rensselaer County; Newburgh in Orange County; White Creek and Cambridge in Washington County; and Fort Drum in Jeffer- son County.
PFCAs and PFSAs are "long-chain" perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). "Long chain" PFCs - particularly, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluo- rooctane sulfonate (PFOS) - have been found to be persistent, bioaccumu- lative, toxic and carcinogenic.
These chemicals are still not regulated at the federal level under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Although, PFOA and PFOS were included in the Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule as chemicals that are known to exist in public water systems that may present a public health risk.
New York State has adopted the life-time and short-term health advisory levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency for PFOA and PFOS. However, other states including neighboring New Jersey and Vermont have set lower regulatory levels based on extensive review and analysis of existing scientific research. This research has demonstrated that risks to public health may exist at exposure levels below the current EPA health advisory levels.
This bill would therefore direct the commissioner of the Department of Health to conduct a comprehensive health review for PFCAs and PFCAs and to establish maximum contaminant levels for their presence in public supplies of potable water that is protective of public health.
Legislative history
2017/2018: S.4386 Referred to Health
Budget implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act would take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.