Environmental Working Group:
From 2013 to 2015, the EPA mandated national testing
for PFOA, PFOS and four other PFAS chemicals in public water systems, yet the full results of this testing, funded by taxpayers, were never made public. Water utilities with the highest concentrations have been publicly identified, but the names
of utilities with PFAS contamination below the EPA’s reporting levels were not released. Based on unreleased data from one lab that analyzed the utilities’ samples, EWG estimates that up
to 110 million Americans could have PFAS in their drinking
water – almost seven times as many as previously thought.
See the lab’s numbers of unreported contamination in 21 states.
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STEEP Superfund Research Program:
The STEEP Superfund Research Center is hosting a full-day community event on June 7, 2018 in Hyannis, MA. The program will focus on the science of PFASs and their occurrence in U.S. drinking water supplies, including on Cape Cod. Project updates from the STEEP team, a film screening, and a tour of the Hyannis Water System facility, are among the activities. The annual event is an opportunity for members of the Cape Cod community to connect with STEEP scientists, ask questions, and voice their concerns. A full list of scheduled activities can be found here (https://web.uri.edu/steep/science-day/). This event is free and open to the public and you may participate in all or part of the day as fits your schedule. ASL Interpreters will be provided.
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Testing for Pease:
Testing for Pease has had a busy month. On May 8. 2018, Andrea Amico and other community leaders from New England met with Region 1 EPA Administrator Alexandra Dunn and members of her team at the EPA office in Boston to advocate for a seat at the EPA National PFAS Summit hosted in DC and share our community stories. Fortunately, Administrator Dunn was successful in getting Andrea Amico a seat at the PFAS Summit in DC on May 22, 2018, and a personal meeting with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. Andrea was able to attend day one of the summit and meet with Scott Pruitt prior to the start of the summit for about 15 minutes and share the voice and needs of impacted communities. Testing for Pease is now working closely with EPA Region 1 staff to plan and coordinate the first regional EPA meetings that will take place this summer across the country in multiple communities across the country. The two day Region 1 EPA meeting for New England on PFAS will take place on Monday, June 25, 2018, from 5 pm to 9 pm, and Tuesday, June 26, 2018, from 8 am to 3 pm, in New Hampshire. Testing for Pease is looking forward to actively participated and presenting at the regional meeting to personalize the impacts of the PFAS contamination in our community and clearly state the community's request for action by the EPA.
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Toxics Action Center:
The National PFAS Contamination Coalition just had a social media day of action regarding wanting a #seatatthetable at the EPA's PFAS Leadership Summit. After asking for months, only two community activists were allowed to attend the Summit. Over 40 community activists in 10 states took action, sharing photos of a seat at their kitchen table along with why they need to be included. The action, along with the uproar over the media being thrown out of the Summit, resulted in over 20 unique articles published in every state in the coalition, and in national news in CNN, The Washington Post, and Politico. You can see the press release and the photos from the action on the Coalition's website. We are excited for the Regional PFAS Summits following the closed-door event last week. The first Regional PFAS Summit will be June 25-26 on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. We will share more details as the date gets close but we encourage everyone who is able to attend!
We have a webinar scheduled for impacted community members and allies with ATSDR administrator Dr. Breysse on Wednesday, June 13th, 7-8pm EST. This webinar is open to the public! Please invite your community group members and coalition allies! Submit your questions / comments / concerns (you can do so anonymously!) here ahead of time. What will you ask him -- why hasn't the hidden HHS report been released yet? Join the webinar at https://zoom.us/j/522988194 Or Telephone: 646 558 8656 Webinar ID: 522 988 194 (This meeting will be recorded if you can't make it!)
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Important Media Attention - Investigation, Regulation, Litigation, & Science:
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