ECOS-EPA Bimonthly PFAS Call
June 20, 2018
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Access code: i Ex. 6 i______________________
Webinar link: http://epawebconferencing.acms.com/pfasjune20/
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Agenda 4:00 Welcome and Introductions (US EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD)) 4:05 Update: PFAS Risk Communication State Case Studies (Sarah Grace Longsworth, ECOS) 4:10 MassDEP Drinking Water Guidelines for 5 PFAS Chemicals (Mark Smith, Mass DEP) 4:25 Recap of the PFAS National Leadership Summit and Next Steps: Evolving plans for community
engagements (Jennifer McLain, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, US EPA) 4:40 USEPA's Efforts on Evaluating PFAS Treatment Performance and Cost (Tom Speth, US EPA ORD
National Risk Management Research Laboratory) 4:55 Open Forum 5:00 Adjourn
Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA
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AGENDA TOPIC DESCRIPTIONS:
PFAS Risk Communication State Case Studies This month, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Environmental Council of States (ECOS) will host two webinars to highlight state-level risk communication of waterborne contaminants. In early 2018, ASTHO and ECOS interviewed health and environmental agency staff from 13 states about their risk communication strategies and lessons learned for either PFAS contamination or harmful algal blooms (HABs). Results were compiled into brief case studies that outline the states' overall efforts, risk communication efforts, relevant resources, key messages for the public, and challenges in the states' programs or communications. The webinars will provide key findings from the case studies and offer potential considerations to others seeking to implement or improve their risk communication practices. Webinars for PFAS (PFAS registration) and HABs (HABs registration) will be June 14 and June 21 respectively.
MassDEP Drinking Water Guidelines for 5 PFAS Chemicals MassDEP's Office of Research and Standards guidance values are usually developed when there are no federal standards or guidance. US EPA published a Health Advisory for PFOA and PFOS at 70 parts per trillion (ppt). Due to similar health concerns, MassDEP established its guideline to include the following three additional PFAS chemicals: perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA). The ORS Guideline (ORSG) is 70 ppt, and applies to the total summed level of all five compounds. Based on this ORSG, MassDEP recommends the following:
1) Consumers in sensitive subgroups (pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants) not consume water when the level of the five PFAS substances, individually or in combination, is above 70 ppt.
2) Public water suppliers take steps expeditiously to lower levels of the five PFAS, individually or in combination, to below 70 ppt for all consumers.
According to the Massachusetts Drinking Water Regulations [310 CMR 22.03(8)], if MassDEP finds on the basis of a health assessment that the level of any contaminant in drinking water at a Public Water System poses an unacceptable health risk to consumers, the PWS must take actions to achieve safe levels and also to provide public notice.
Large Public Drinking Water Systems (serving more than 10,000 persons) have already tested for these chemicals. Approximately 3 percent of the Public Water Systems tested in Massachusetts found PFAS at some level. MassDEP is working with those affected systems. MassDEP is also continuing to research where PFAS may have been used and is considering a testing program for PFAS in a targeted universe of smaller Public Water Systems that are close to areas where PFAS has been found or may have been used. MassDEP will keep you posted as we move forward with additional work in this area.
Background information on the establishment of this ORSG can be found at: https://www.mass.gov/doc/massdep-office-of-research-standards-fin3l-recommendations-for-pfastoxicity guidance
MassDEP Fact Sheet "PFAS in Drinking Water: Questions and Answers for Consumers" can be found at: https://www.mass.gOv/lists/contaminants#pfas-per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-induding-pfos-and" pfoa-
Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA
Tier 10
ED 002061 00267841-00002