Final Recommended Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS)

10 organizations filed 12 public comments on Final Recommended Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS), at the Environmental Protection Agency. The comment window closed 1484d ago.

Abstract

As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s commitment to safeguard the environment from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as laid out in the EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap, the agency has published final national recommended water quality criteria and benchmarks to help states and authorized Tribes protect aquatic ecosystems from several PFAS. For perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the EPA published final recommended freshwater criteria for short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) exposure, as well as a saltwater benchmark for acute exposures. The EPA also developed separate acute freshwater benchmarks for eight data-limited PFAS (perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), hexadecafluoro-2-decenoic acid (8:2 FTUCA), pentadecafluorodecanoic acid (7:3 FTCA)).The EPA’s national recommended water quality criteria and benchmarks reflect the latest scientific knowledge regarding the effects of these PFAS on aquatic organisms, such as fish and aquatic insects. Concentrations of these individual PFAS in water bodies above the relevant criteria or benchmark level may harm the growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms or kill them. The EPA’s recommended criteria and benchmarks are for individual PFAS and do not account for potential mixture effects (e.g., dose additivity). States and authorized Tribes can adopt the EPA’s recommended criteria and benchmarks into their water quality standards or adopt other scientifically defensible values, including values based on local or site-specific conditions.

Commenters (10)

• 3M Companyunverified attribution

  2 filings · confidence 70%
• American Chemistry Counciltrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 97%
• American Water Works Associationtrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• Association of Clean Water Administratorstrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Association of Metropolitan Water Agenciestrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• Federal Water Quality Coalition and PFAS Regulatory Coalitiontrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Federal Water Quality Coalition.trade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)trade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• PFAS Regulatory Coalitiontrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• West Virginia Rivers Coalitiontrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%