State should do more to help keep water clean

FILE - In this June 18, 2018 file photo, equipment used to test for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS, in drinking water is seen at Trident Laboratories in Holland, Mich. The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce a plan for dealing with a class of long-lasting chemical contaminants amid complaints from members of Congress and environmentalists that it's not moved aggressively enough to regulate them. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP, File)

We are from the contaminated communities of Gustavus, Dillingham and Fairbanks. As community members directly harmed by polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination, we object to the state of Alaska’s recent decision to “roll back” the more protective drinking water standards implemented in 2018. We are additionally very concerned with the state’s decision to withhold further actions on chemicals that are known to harm human and environmental health, even at exceptionally low concentrations.

From May 17-19, we met in Gustavus with allies from Alaska Community Action on Toxics and Southeast Alaska Conservation Council to gain a further common understanding of the science concerning health effects of PFAS and current state and federal policies that pertain to PFAS, and to develop plans and strategies to address PFAS contamination. We will work collectively for positive change.

The state’s decision to respond to only two of the thousands of PFAS chemicals is not protective of human health, particularly that of infants, children and expectant mothers. A growing number of other states are establishing enforceable drinking water standards that are significantly more stringent than the EPA lifetime-health advisory. They rely on the scientific evidence that shows indisputably harmful biological activity of PFAS chemicals at low exposure levels.

The EPA LHA fails to incorporate critical risk factors such as placental and breast milk transfer to babies, nor does it include the sensitive end points of effects on the mammary gland and immune suppression.

The ever-growing body of scientific research and health studies has been incorporated into the regulation of drinking water in the form of maximum contaminant levels for PFAS chemicals in at least eight states that have committed to be more health protective of their residents than the EPA.

We urge Gov. Mike Dunleavy to reconsider the decision to defer to the EPA rather than to protect the health of children and all Alaskans from the harms of PFAS. This is an urgent public health crisis that needs immediate action.

Kelly McLaughlin is a Gustavus resident affected by the Gustavus Airport PFAS plume, and serves as the Gustavus PFAS Action Coalition chair.

Nana Paldi and David Berrey are Fairbanks residents affected by the South Fairbanks PFAS plume, and serve as Wake Up Alaska to the Toxic Environmental Reality (WATER) coordinators.

Paul Liedburg is a Dillingham resident affected by the Dillingham PFAS plume.

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.