The Environmental Protection Agency cares more about its range than public health — and Republicans and Democrats ai n’t take it . electronic mail released last calendar week show the agency , along with the White House , intervened to block the release of a wellness study earlier this class that would have led to a “ public intercourse incubus , ” as one nameless White House stafferput it .
The study concerned per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances , or PFAS , which can be found on pots , genus Pan , popcorn , and even in newspaper , and which some previous written report have linked to increased cholesterol levels , increased cancer risk , and developmental impacts for babe and child . That’saccording to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ( ATSDR ) , the branch of the Department of Health and Human Services that led the new research , which aimed to help establish new Maximum Contaminant Levels within the Safe Drinking Water Act for these chemicals .
After analyzing PFOS and PFOA , case of PFAS , the not - yet - released draft assessment suggested drinking weewee limits as crushed as 12 parts per trillion — five times less than what the EPAestablished as public wellness advisory guidelinesin 2016 . These newfangled conclusions would likely pull the government to take more dramatic activeness on any polluted sites .
Naturally , members of Congress — on both the left over and the rightfulness — are pissed that the findings , whose creation wasfirst reportedby Politico last week , have n’t been released for months . That , or they need to ensure their re - election get along November .
Either way , 13 Congress member — led byPennsylvania representatives Brendan F. Boyle , a Democrat , and Brian K. Fitzpatrick , a Republican — sent abipartisan letterFriday to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt demand the immediate button of this sketch . Speaking of the Trump organization ’s attempt to withhold the inquiry out of concern of how the medium and world would respond , the signer of this letter wrote , “ If unfeigned , this represent a clean violation of the public trust . ”
The letter go on :
Too many communities across the body politic are chevy by ongoing , serious question regarding the threat the contaminant may pose to their health and that of their have a go at it ones . Some also doubt the commitment of the federal government to address this issue in a manner that prioritizes and adequately addresses their health concern .
The study is still in progress , ATSDRtold E&E News . The EPA has n’t commented beyond an initial response to Politico , saying the agency was trying to “ assure that the Union government is responding in a consistent way to our local , land , and Congressional constituent and mate . ”
PFAs pose a particular jeopardy to military families and their neighbors . Military base are littered with PFA - contaminated sites , according to the Union of Concerned Scientists , which obtained these eye - opening e-mail .
So , yeah : citizenry are pissed . This letter is just the late . A disjoined chemical group of senator senttheir own letterlast week .
It ’s unconscionable that the@EPAunder Administrator Pruitt would block the release of a public wellness study on the harmful effects of PFOA , which is hurting#Bennington#Vtand other communities across the nation , because it would be a “ public relations nightmare.”pic.twitter.com/0Q1w7mwyZy
— Sen. Patrick Leahy ( @SenatorLeahy)May 16 , 2018
Outrageous . In fearfulness of a " public relations incubus , " the White House and @EPAScottPruitt are failing to protect public health . victim of PFOA and PFOS pollution , and their family , deserve answers . This account should be released immediately.https://t.co/mFGKjN6575
— Kirsten Gillibrand ( @SenGillibrand)May 14 , 2018
PFAS
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