LANSING, MI — The Michigan Legislature will hold lame duck session hearings on a bill proposing drinking water standards for toxic PFAS chemicals, according to the House committee chair.
Rep. Gary Howell, R-Lapeer, said the House Natural Resources Committee will seek expert testimony in mid-November on House Bill 5375, which, as written, would establish a legally enforceable hard limit of 5 parts-per-trillion (ppt) on PFAS in public drinking water.
Brinks’ legislation "will be brought forward," said Howell, saying that consideration of the bill and PFAS contamination in Michigan will likely require "multiple hearings."
"Of course, I’m pleased if he’s intending to have a hearing on establishing a legally-allowable limit on PFAS in drinking water.
There are no federal regulations for any PFAS chemicals in drinking water, although some states have or are in the process of setting their own enforcable limits.
"We want to be sure that if we establish a level, that it’s the right level."
Howell said he wants to hear testimony from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as well as experts in academia and the wider scientific community.
He said he’s open to testimony from out-of-state experts and those put forward by Democrats.
"We’re going to draw on anybody that’s got relevant scientific information, whether that be experts from Michigan State or other universities," Howell said.
Howell said "we’re probably looking at several bills" to address drinking water standards for PFAS as well as issues related to site remediation and chemical storage.