U.S. Senators Call for PFAS Funding in 2023 Farm Bill

In an effort to help provide safe, clean water to farmers and rural communities, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) led a bipartisan group of colleagues in sending a letter to the leadership of the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture urging them to address harmful PFAS (per- and polyfluoralkyl substances) contamination in the 2023 Farm Bill.

“The use of PFAS chemicals in various industrial and commercial applications has led to widespread contamination, posing a significant threat to our environment, public health, and agricultural systems,” the Senators and Representatives wrote. “It is imperative that we take decisive action to provide assistance and relief to those affected by PFAS.”

The letter urges the Committees to include two bipartisan bills aimed at providing assistance and relief to farmers and rural communities who bear the brunt of PFAS contamination. The Healthy H2O Act, introduced by Senators Baldwin and Collins and Representative Pingree, provides grants for water testing and treatment technology directly to individuals and non-profits in rural communities. The legislation would help ensure that the nearly 43 million households who rely on groundwater through private wells have access to the tools they need to keep their drinking water safe. 

In addition to The Healthy H2O Act, the Senators and Representatives called for the Relief for Farmers Hit With PFAS Act to be included in the Farm Bill. This bipartisan legislation provides financial assistance and support to farmers affected by PFAS contamination.

“These provisions will not only offer crucial assistance to farmers affected by PFAS contamination, but also contribute to the long-term sustainability of our water and food production systems and safeguard public health,” continued the Senators and Representatives. “Together, we can work towards protecting our farmers, our rural communities, and our natural resources from the devastating impacts of PFAS contamination.”

Along with Senators Baldwin and Collins and Representative Pingree, the bipartisan letter was co-signed by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tina Smith (D-MN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Jared Golden (D-ME-02), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Michael Lawler (R-NY-17), and Gwen Moore (D-WI-04).