FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2025
CONTACT:
Aaron Bharucha, Public Relations Associate
(509) 429-1699 and epn-press@environmentalprotectionnetwork.org
“Our Drinking Water is Still at Risk”: Safe Drinking Water Scientist Responds to Zeldin PFAS Announcement
Washington D.C. – EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin yesterday announced he will keep a 2024 rule in place that holds polluters accountable for cleaning up PFAS contamination. PFAS chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and human body, accumulate in drinking water and can cause developmental delays and low birth weights in children, as well as cancer and other health dangers in adults. The announcement follows months of unnecessary uncertainty created by Zeldin when he questioned whether EPA would defend the rule in court. It also follows his decision last week to significantly weaken PFAS drinking water safeguards. Environmental Protection Network’s fight against these rollbacks has been led by experts who previously served at EPA, including Dr. Betsy Southerland.
Statement from Dr. Betsy Southerland, former director of EPA’s Office of Science and Technology in the Office of Water:
“Let’s be clear: our drinking water is still at risk because Trump’s EPA is recklessly allowing more toxic chemicals in Americans’ drinking water. Zeldin has recently taken action to rescind all drinking water protections for four highly toxic PFAS forever chemicals. Scientific evidence shows that PFAS can cause cancer, developmental delays, low birth weight, and other health dangers.”
“EPA’s announcement yesterday that he won’t roll back a 2024 rule, while welcome, doesn’t offer any relief to people worried about forever chemicals in the water they drink today, tomorrow, and for years to come.”
“Zeldin credited his change of heart on holding PFAS polluters financially accountable to the backlash he received from the public, Congress, and municipalities. This should encourage all Americans to speak up against Zeldin’s ongoing efforts to weaken drinking water standards and clean air standards that are part of his sprawling deregulatory agenda.”
“I am concerned that Zeldin has created yet more uncertainty about the liability to farmers and municipalities. The 2024 enforcement discretion policy resolved the situation, clarifying that EPA would focus enforcement only on polluters– not farmers and municipalities that received PFAS chemicals. In his announcement, Zeldin says that legislation is needed, leaving this issue in limbo.”
Dr. Betsy Southerland is the former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water (2012-2017) and is available to speak with the media about PFAS and the new EPA regulations related to forever chemicals.
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