WHO WE ARE WHAT WE DO WHO WE SERVE CAREERS LOCATIONS BLOG U.S. EPA Issues PFAS Roadmap for Next 4 Years HOME BLOG U.S. EPA ISSUES PFAS ROADMAP FOR NEXT 4 YEARS November 16, 2021 On October 18, 2021, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) announced the agency’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap: EPA’s Commitments to Action 2021—2024, which lays out a whole-of-agency approach to addressing PFAS for 2021 through 2024. The U.S. EPA’s approach to PFAS is focused on three central goals and objectives: Invest in research, development, and innovation to increase understanding of PFAS exposures and toxicities, human health and ecological effects, and effective interventions incorporating the best available science. Proactively prevent PFAS discharges at levels that can adversely impact human health and the environment. Broaden and accelerate the cleanup of PFAS contamination to protect human health and ecological systems. The following is a list of significant actions and expected dates proposed. These policies will affect manufacturers, wastewater treatment facilities, landfills and end users of PFAS. Actions Proposed Date Address the data gap of potential human health and ecological effects for PFAS by publishing a national PFAS testing strategy Fall 2021 Ensure a robust review process for new PFAS using the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) New Chemicals Program Ongoing Review previously approved PFAS under the New Chemicals Program of TSCA Ongoing Reclassify PFAS previously approved but not currently used as “significant new uses,” requiring new approval before the PFAS can enter commerce Summer 2022 Propose a rulemaking to categorize the PFAS on the TRI list as Chemicals of Special Concern and to remove the de minimis eligibility from supplier notification requirements Spring 2022 Finalize new PFAS reporting under TSCA Section 8 Winter 2022 Expand the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR)-5 sampling to all public water systems serving 3,300 or more people and 800 representative public water systems serving fewer than 3,300 Fall 2021 Establish a national primary drinking water regulation for PFOA and PFOS Proposed Rule Expected Fall 2022, Final Rule Expected Fall 2023 Publish the final toxicity assessment for GenX, PFBA, PFHxA, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFDA Ongoing Publish drinking water health advisories for GenX and PFBS Spring 2022 Restrict PFAS discharges from industrial sources using Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs) Expected 2022 Use existing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) authority to reduce discharges of PFAS at the source and obtain more comprehensive information through monitoring on the sources of PFAS Winter 2022 Publish multi-laboratory validated analytical method for 40 PFAS Fall 2022 Publish updates to PFAS analytical methods to monitor drinking water Fall 2024 Develop national recommended ambient water quality criteria for PFAS Starting winter 2022 Monitor fish tissue for PFAS in the National Lakes Assessment Summer 2022 Finalize list of PFAS for use in fish advisory programs Expected spring 2023 Finalize risk assessment for PFOA and PFOS in biosolids Winter 2024 Develop a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to designate PFOA and PFOS as Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) hazardous substances Spring 2022 Develop an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek public input on whether to designate other PFAS as CERCLA hazardous substances Spring 2022 Issue updated guidance on destroying and disposing of certain PFAS and PFAS-containing materials Fall 2023 Build the technical foundation to address PFAS air emissions Fall 2022 and ongoing Use enforcement tools to better identify and address PFAS releases at facilities Ongoing actions Break the large, diverse class of PFAS into smaller categories based on similarities across defined PFAS by parameters (such as chemical structure, physical and chemical properties, and toxicological properties) Winter 2021 CEC is closely monitoring developments regarding PFAS. If you have other questions related to PFAS regulations throughout the U.S., please contact Steve Maxwell at smaxwell@cecinc.com or at 888.267.7891. TAGS environmental, PFAS, chemicals, EPA PREVIOUS CEC PHOENIX HOSTS CLIENTS AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS GOLF OUTING FOR CHARITY NEXT CEC NASHVILLE PROJECTS EARN PRESTIGIOUS REGIONAL AWARDS ABOUT THE AUTHOR STEVE MAXWELL Steve Maxwell, LSRP, P.G., is a Senior Project Manager in CEC's Environmental Engineering and Sciences Practice at our Philadelphia office. His areas of expertise are in environmental forensics, sediment assessment, tidal marsh hydrodynamics, sediment ecological risk assessment, site assessment, and site remediation. MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR BREAKING DOWN NEW JERSEY’S NEW SOLAR INCENTIVE PROGRAM Aug 26, 2021 / Regulatory Updates U.S. EPA RECOMMENDS INTERIM PFAS STRATEGY FOR NPDES PERMITS Dec 9, 2020 / Regulatory Updates NEW JERSEY’S NEW ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LAW REQUIRES EVALUATION OF IMPACTS TO OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES FOR SOME PERMITS Oct 14, 2020 / Regulatory Updates WANT MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS? SUBSCRIBE POST A COMMENT * * SEND GET IN TOUCH STAY IN TOUCH info@cecinc.com (800) 365-2324 * Subscribe to our blog! Join our mailing list! SEND Home About CEC Locations Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Use Third-Party Recruiting Trademarks Site Map Copyright © Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. All rights reserved. "CEC" refers to Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc., Civil & Environmental Consultants of New York, Inc., and CEC Landscape Architects, LLC. At this time CEC is not offering land surveying, landscape architecture or geology services in the state of New York.