EPA Weighs Discretion to Ease Fears of PFAS Cleanup Liabilities

The EPA’s push to speed Superfund cleanups of two “forever chemicals” is still raising alarms for community water systems, farmers, and others who fear being saddled with new liability despite the agency’s promise to be flexible in enforcing the new requirements.

The concerns were on display Tuesday at the first of two March listening sessions the Environmental Protection Agency is holding on how it might wield its enforcement discretion to ease concerns for those who never created or profited from products made with two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

Those worried about new liability range from water ...