
Attorney General Kwame Raoul is leading a charge, alongside a coalition of 18 states, to defend a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule aimed at establishing the first nationwide drinking water standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These "forever" chemicals, according to the Illinois Attorney General's office, are a public health concern due to their resilience in the environment and potential human health impacts. The rule in question, under the Safe Drinking Water Act, will require public water systems to monitor and potentially treat water for six specific PFAS chemicals.
The EPA's initiative intends to regulate chemicals such as PFOA and PFOS, along with GenX, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFBS, which have been utilized in various consumer and industrial products. The rule does not merely address these substances individually, but also their mixture, conjoining these threats into a regulatory net. “As the name implies, forever chemicals do not naturally break down in the environment, which poses a significant threat to human health and the environment," said Raoul. The health risks associated with PFAS exposure include cancers, developmental defects, and immune system impairments, among others.
In supporting the EPA's decision, the attorneys general argue that the rule is essential for public health improvements. The rule relies on a hazard index approach for evaluating the risk of PFAS exposure through drinking water—taking into account both individual chemicals and their combinations. Through an amicus brief presented to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, these state legal leaders have affirmed their position on the rule's potential for safeguarding public health and its compliance with procedural requirements.
His office has filed several lawsuits against companies responsible for PFAS pollution. In 2022, Raoul accused 3M of improper PFAS handling resulting in continued environmental contamination of their Cordova, Illinois facility. Moreover, Raoul initiated legal action against manufacturers for promoting PFAS as safe despite knowing the associated risks. Following these lawsuits, Raoul joined a coalition to support enforceable drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals, a proposal put forth by the EPA.
The list of fellow attorneys general stands lengthy, signifying a multi-state concern over the matter. Included are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin, all sharing a unified legal front to maintain and enforce water quality standards for protecting citizens across the nation.