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EPANonrulemakingEPA-HQ-OW-2022-0365

Final Recommended Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

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Center for Biological Diversity filed 1 comment on this docket between Jul 5, 2022 and Jul 5, 2022. 11 other organizations filed here. The comment window closed 1484d ago.

What Center for Biological Diversity filed (1)

Jul 5, 2022· Comment submitted by Center for Biological Diversity· EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0365-0024

Please accept the following comments and attachments on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity.

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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 perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), 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.

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