Christine Palm

Dear Neighbor, 



“Your tax dollar at work” is a phrase usually used cynically; people who have little faith in government invoke it to show how wasteful and inefficient government can be.

 

And while there is surely some government waste mixed in with the good, last week a public webinar (click HERE to watch) gave a telling look at what government agencies can accomplish when they pull together on behalf of citizens.

 

Several State agencies presented what they are doing to carry out the mandates of Senate Bill 837: An Act Concerning the Use of Perfluoroalkyl or Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Firefighting Foam. I urge you to watch it, because all those confusing state government acronyms come into sharp focus for the remarkable work they do each day on our behalf as the Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force.

 

In 2021, in my role as Vice Chair of the Environment Committee, I had the responsibility (and the honor) of shepherding this PFAS-banning bill through the House of Representatives. (When S.B. 837 was signed into law by Gov. Lamont, it became Pubic Act 21-191.)

 

Put simply, the legislation prohibits the use of this family of cancer-causing chemicals in firefighting foam for training exercises (AFFF is a common example), phases out its use elsewhere, and requires various agencies to collect existing supplies. PFAS is known to leach into private drinking wells, and so is of concern not only to our firefighters, but to everyone who drinks well water. (Our neighboring towns of Killingworth and East Hampton are directly affected.)

 

The Task Force is working on 34 recommended actions in the areas of 1) Protecting the health of citizens; 2) Pollution prevention; 3) Remediation; and 4) Education, outreach and communication.

 

Some highlights the virtual/webinar report:

From the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP):

More than 35,300 gallons of PFAS-containing AFFF have been collected from 250 fire departments; a remaining 400 firetrucks currently have PFAS on board that needs to be remediated.

 

From the Department of Public Health (DPH):

Connecticut has some 2,500 public water systems serving 2.8 million residents. Each needs to be tested for PFAS contamination. The agency must ascertain the risk to humans and communicate it to the public — and this includes safe fishing advisories.

The Dept. of Transportation (DOT):

The New Haven Railyard has 80 acres of land on which there are 1,600 gallons of PFAS foam. They are in the process of replacing it with  a new, “low-expansion” and safer version. Additionally, Bradley Airport reports that 13 hangars have AFFF; 7 have been remediated; 2 will be addressed in the coming months; and the remaining 4 are under the aegis of the U.S. Military.

 

From the Office of the Attorney General (OAG):

The OAG its advocating on behalf of servicepeople through letters and meetings with Congress.

 

The University of Connecticut:

University scientists are conducting research into the health effects of these toxic “forever” chemicals, helping to identify geographic areas that are contaminated, and studying ways to sequester the chemicals safely.

The CT Agriculture Experiment Station (CAES):

Currently conducting a dozen major research projects, including possible use of hemp as a remediating material.

 

The Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS):

Managing contracts and finding alternative products to purchase. In addition to firefighting foam, PFAS is currently found in many products in the food service industry and in cleaning supplies.

 

This is just one example of hard, important work that goes on continually out of the glare of the headlines. But the fact that the Task Force’s work is largely unheralded does not diminish its direct impact on our lives. It is impossible to capture in a short email the breadth and depth of the work being done on this issue. It’s extremely gratifying to me to see the physical, technical, and highly expert work being carried out, cooperatively, as a result of the bipartisan legislation we passed. Your tax dollars at work, indeed.

 

Read more about the original bill here.

Please feel free to contact me by email at Christine.Palm@cga.ct.gov with any questions or concerns.



Sincerely,



Christine Palm

State Representative