Trump EPA rollback of drinking water protections poses risk

We are three mothers who have collectively spent years fighting to prevent forever chemicals from contaminating water in our communities after discovering that the water drawn from the Haven Well at the former Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire and in seacoast communities nearby —contained highly toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). We didn’t choose this fight; it came straight through our taps, into the child care center where toddlers played, into the homes of hundreds of our neighbors, and into businesses employing thousands of people. Exposure to these chemicals threatens the health of our families and communities, and we have pushed for years to clean up the water and ensure people who were unknowingly exposed to the contamination receive medical monitoring. Now, Trump’s EPA is eliminating safeguards that prevent these chemicals from infiltrating the tap water of every American family.

There are 12 resin vessels in the Pease Water Treatment Facility in Portsmouth, which were installed after unsafe levels of PFAS forever chemicals were found in the Haven well at Pease in 2014.

When the contamination was first discovered, we stepped up because the safety of kids and families – ours and our neighbors – was on the line. For more than a decade, the three of us have fought for transparency and action on toxic contamination in New Hampshire. We are moms, scientists, former elected officials, and advocates. We demanded blood testing, secured vital health studies, and advocated relentlessly for stricter state and federal safety standards for these “forever chemicals.” After years of hard-won progress in New Hampshire, we believed we were finally turning the tide toward a safer future for all American families.On Monday, the Trump EPA announced it will rescind drinking water limits on four of the six PFAS compounds regulated under the 2024 federal standard, and will delay compliance deadlines for the other two until 2031. After more than a decade of organizing, testimony, and scientific documentation, the progress we and so many others fought for is being undone by a single rulemaking change. For communities living with PFAS contamination, this is a crushing setback.

Trump’s decision to ignore the threat posed by these forever chemicals is an unconscionable betrayal. In gutting these vital protections, his EPA is putting the drinking water of millions of Americans at severe risk. Guarding against only two PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, neither of which are still in production, fails to address the broader risks posed by this large class of persistent chemicals. This decision allows continued exposure to harmful chemicals and does not reflect a meaningful commitment to protecting public health.

We know intimately the toll these chemicals take. In our community on the Seacoast, we had to fight aggressively to prove that the anomalous rates of rare cancers and developmental issues were not just a statistical coincidence. From a scientific perspective, we have long pointed out that treating PFAS chemicals one by one is a losing game; the chemical industry simply tweaks a molecule and continues polluting. Yet, this administration is deliberately moving backward, giving a free pass to the newer, equally dangerous replacement compounds still being pumped into our environment.

Let us be clear: this rollback is not making America healthy again. It is allowing ongoing exposure of harmful chemicals to innocent people and communities.

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Parents across the country deserve better than this blatant disregard for our families. When you turn on your tap to fill your baby’s bottle or boil a pot of water for dinner, you shouldn’t have to wonder if you are unwittingly exposing your kids to chemicals linked to kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, and weakened immune systems. The PFAS related health risks are well established and weakening existing standards undermines efforts to safeguard communities. The EPA’s action raises serious concerns about its commitment to its mission of protecting human health and the environment. Strong, comprehensive regulation is essential to prevent ongoing harm.

Over years of fighting for clean water, we have stressed repeatedly that this isn’t a partisan issue—it is a fundamental public safety imperative. Clean water doesn’t belong to a political party, and protecting our children shouldn’t be subject to political whims. We refuse to accept a reality where federal agencies prioritize the convenience and profit margins of chemical manufacturers over the lives of our kids.We will not be intimidated by this setback. We remain committed to advocating for effective, science-based PFAS drinking water standards because we believe access to clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental right. Communities impacted by PFAS contamination will continue to pursue the protections they deserve because we are even more persistent than PFAS.

Stefany Shaheen is a former Portsmouth City Councilor and candidate for Congress. Mindi Messmer is an environmental and regulatory scientist and former state representative from Rye. Andrea Amico of Portsmouth is a co-founder of Testing for Pease.

Click here to link to the original article from Seacoastonline.

Mindi Messmer, DMSc, MS, PG, CG, is an environmental and public health scientist and author of Female Disruptors: Stories of Mighty Female Scientists. The book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and through your local bookstore.