• The EPA will relax limits on some 'forever chemicals' in drinking water, keeping stringent standards for PFOA and PFOS.
• Compliance deadlines for water utilities to meet these standards are extended to 2031.
• Removing limits on certain PFAS raises concerns about public health risks linked to these chemicals.
• Environmental groups criticize the move as a rollback of health protections previously established.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday its plan to relax federal limits on certain toxic "forever chemicals," specifically removing restrictions on four types of PFAS, while maintaining current standards for PFOA and PFOS. The decision allows water utilities until 2031 to comply with regulations set by the previous Biden administration, which established stringent limits due to the health risks associated with these substances, including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, affecting millions of Americans with contaminated drinking water, according to The Hill and CBS News.

The EPA Administrator, Lee Zeldin, stated, “We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water,” reflecting a commitment to public health despite the rollback of limits on other harmful PFAS. The importance of these chemicals, which can take thousands of years to decompose, lies in their widespread use in many consumer products, thus raising alarms about prolonged exposure risks to the population India Times and New York Times.

Health experts and environmental advocates expressed major concerns regarding the ramifications of this decision, arguing it undermines the previous health protection measures aimed at curbing PFAS contamination. Erik Olson from the Natural Resources Defense Council lamented that, "With a stroke of the pen, EPA is making a mockery of the Trump administration’s promise to deliver clean water for Americans," highlighting that the absence of limits on newer PFAS could potentially sacrifice public health for industrial convenience, as noted by LA Times and India Times.