Take Action on PFAS
Maine is leading the way when it comes to addressing PFAS contamination, but this is not just a Maine issue. Large corporations created this problem and the entire country is faced with widespread contamination. Weak federal oversight has allowed these chemicals to go largely unchecked and unregulated. Meaningful change will require swift federal action. Read through this page to learn more about how you can take action on PFAS.
EPA Fails to Regulate PFAS Under the Clean Water Act
On July 23, 2024, MOFGA and Johnson County, Texas, joined a lawsuit as plaintiffs against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failure to regulate the land application of sludge contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Clean Water Act. Read the Amended Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief here.
On May 14, 2024, MOFGA gave the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notice that we’re suing them for failure to regulate PFAS in sludge. Under the Clean Water Act provision enacted in 1987, the EPA must biennially identify toxic pollutants in biosolid sludge and adopt regulations to prevent harm. Farmers across Maine and throughout the country have been affected by the spreading of sludge contaminated by at least 18 different types of PFAS, for 12 of which there is sufficient scientific evidence requiring EPA regulation to protect the public. The EPA must take action to ban the land application of biosolid sludge under the Clean Water Act.
Join MOFGA in fighting to protect farmers across the United States and take action against the continued spread of PFAS on farmland today! Write to the EPA demanding that they uphold the Clean Water Act and ban the spread of biosolid sludge.
FDA Falls Short in Regulating PFAS in Food
Maine made history by becoming the first state to ban the spreading of biosolid sludge on farmland. Now, action is urgently needed at the federal level to better understand the scope of contamination across the country, establish safety standards, and immediately restrict the production and disposal of PFAS.
At this time there are no current federal thresholds for PFAS contamination in food crops. Without action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) farms are left with uncertainty over the safety of crops grown on land containing PFAS and consumers do not have the safety measures in place that they deserve.
Send a letter to FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock demanding action.
Farmers Need a Safety Net
Maine’s Congressional Delegation is supporting the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act (S. 747 in the Senate and H.R. 1517 in the House of Representatives), which directs the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a grant program to help states and other entities address PFAS contamination on agricultural land and commercial farms. We are grateful to Maine’s members of Congress for their leadership and for the co-sponsorship of this critical legislation by several other U.S. Senators and Representatives. While Maine is at the forefront of addressing farmland contamination, we know that PFAS threatens food and agriculture systems across the country. We urge all members of Congress to stand up for their farmer constituents and co-sponsor this legislation.
Support Our Work
MOFGA staff are working to offer up-to-date, reliable, and responsive answers and resources to address members of our community impacted by PFAS contamination. This includes pushing for legislative action, offering one-on-one support for farmers, collaborating with partners to conduct research and advance understanding of the issue, and providing direct financial support to affected farms. Click the button below to donate to MOFGA’s work on PFAS. Thank you for your support!
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