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:
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