Associated Press: Officials Push for National PFAS Drinking Water Standard — At a congressional hearing on PFAS this week, witnesses testified that setting a national drinking water standard for PFAS is the first step in addressing contamination at military bases and communities throughout the U.S. Witnesses included environmental officials from several states considering action of PFAS, including New Mexico; West Virginia; and Pennsylvania.

National Law Review: Senators Put PFAS Clean Up Cart Before the Risk Characterization Horse — In this commentary, environmental lawyer Jeffery Porter argues that the EPA needs set a standard for PFAS in drinking water before monetary amounts can be determined or senators can determine dangerous levels of exposure. “Such a standard will allow EPA and the States to prioritize clean up where it is needed most urgently,” he writes “whether the source is military or not, and avoid panicking a pandemic weary general public about risks they will have difficulty avoiding.”

JD Supra: Emerging Chemical Issues – Ethylene Oxide (Part 2 of 5): A Patchwork of State Regulation — Federal law generally sets a floor, rather than a ceiling, when it comes to emission reduction regulations, which is why facilities must track state and local laws, regulations, and enforcement activities for the strictest guidelines. This is particularly important for EtO, where several states have gotten ahead of EPA in setting state specific EtO risk thresholds and regulatory requirements.

Competitive Enterprise Institute: Junk Science Gains Traction at the Biden EPA — In her latest commentary, Angela Logomasini analyzes recent efforts to rely more heavily on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) highly flawed research program known as the Integrated Risk Information System or (IRIS). IRIS, she writes, is known to cherry pick studies to serve predetermined conclusions, ignoring key science, and producing assessments that deploy highly unrealistic and excessively cautious assumptions. The resulting faulty assessments have created health scares about certain chemicals that undermine critically important uses.

Talking Points Memo: Ohio Legislators Hear Testimony that COVID Vaccine… Magnetizes Recipients — During an Ohio House Health Committee hearing this week, legislators heard testimony on a growing bit of misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. To combat these widespread false claims, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even released an update to their “Myths and Facts” page addressing the theory: “Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic.”