Articles / April 11, 2024

ELI Deskbook Helps Lay Groundword to Address PFAS in Drinking Water

(Washington, D.C.) — Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced new drinking water standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their pervasive qualities. Under the new rule, public water systems must set up systems to monitor certain PFAS by 2027 and implement solutions to reduce these PFAS in drinking water by 2029, among other requirements. The announcement is one of many developments in the PFAS arena. Those seeking to navigate this moving landscape may be interested in the PFAS Deskbook, released in late 2023 by ELI Press, the publishing arm of the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), a 50+-year-old non-partisan nonprofit organization.

“In order to address PFAS in drinking water, we must understand the entirety of where the laws and regulations are today,” said ELI President Jordan Diamond. “The PFAS Deskbook provides clarity about the areas of greater and lesser certainty in the current legal landscape so that we can more easily determine the legal pathways to addressing PFAS,” she added.

The PFAS Deskbook offers readers a comprehensive overview of federal and state PFAS regulation and litigation nationwide. The Deskbook begins with the historical and scientific background of PFAS. Subsequent chapters are laid out to largely follow the path of PFAS chemicals as they move through the supply chain. The book examines their creation, import, and initial use in industrial facilities, as well as the statutory and regulatory frameworks relevant to consumer products. The book further explores the variety of federal and state statutes that can apply to contaminated soils, air, and water after PFAS have entered our environment, including PFAS contamination and cleanup, making it a must-have resource for today’s environmental practitioners.

ELI also hosts a monthly series of webinar briefings with national experts and the author of the PFAS Deskbook to keep ELI members up to date and answer questions.

Learn about the book here: https://www.eli.org/eli-press-books/pfas-deskbook.

Learn about the webinar series here: https://www.eli.org/events/monthly-pfas-briefings-2024.