The legislature passed two important bills this year regarding PFAS, pervasive chemicals that originate from toxic firefighting foam and other sources. It is important to know how these bills will help prevent further PFAS contamination that could impact your source water and provide valuable resources for your water system if it is impacted.
House Bill 20-1119 allows the department to better control and regulate the use of PFAS firefighting foam. The bill:
- Requires entities using and storing PFAS firefighting foams to follow established capture and disposal standards and have a certificate of registration (which will be approved into law by the Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission by June 2021).
- Allows the use of PFAS firefighting foam for training or testing at federally designated airport structures used for storing and maintaining aircraft and entities with a certificate of registration that follow established capture and disposal standards.
Senate Bill 20-218 charges a fee on the transport of fuel and uses the money to develop a cash fund. This cash fund will provide funding for:
- Implementing a takeback program that purchases and properly disposes of PFAS firefighting foam.
- Sampling, assessment and investigation of PFAS chemicals in groundwater, lakes, rivers, and other waters.
- Funding water treatment infrastructure for PFAS chemicals.
- Providing emergency assistance to communities affected by the chemicals.
Click here for more information about the PFAS bills and get involved in the stakeholder process to create a certificate of registration program.
➽ David Dani, Emerging Contaminants Coordinator
