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DNR prepares for EPA PFAS standards, seeks lab capacity and sampling authority
Summary
Department of Natural Resources officials told lawmakers they are preparing for forthcoming EPA PFAS drinking‑water and water quality rules and included budget lines for sampling and laboratory work to meet anticipated federal requirements.
Department of Natural Resources officials told the House Appropriations Committee they are preparing to implement forthcoming federal PFAS drinking‑water and water quality rules and included budget authority to support sampling, analysis and permitting work.
Kara Moore, director of the Division of Environmental Quality, described a budget item to cover additional sample analysis workload and sampling program needs tied to the EPA national primary regulation for PFAS. "This is to implement the new EPA national primary regulation for PFAS and to accommodate the additional sample analysis workload anticipated from this rule," Moore said.
Director Kurt Schaeffer explained the state role under the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act: when the federal government sets a minimum standard, states that implement delegated programs must provide the capacity to administer those standards, which can include additional sampling, laboratory work and permit actions. He told the committee that DNR has purchased equipment in prior appropriations and now seeks funding for staff to run increased testing workloads.
Why it matters: The EPA’s planned PFAS standards set extremely low numerical thresholds for certain PFAS compounds; monitoring and enforcement require careful sampling protocols and analytical capacity. Officials cautioned that sample‑collection protocol and laboratory readiness will be critical because PFAS detection limits are very low and require specialized methods.
Follow up: Committee members asked whether testing work will be performed in DNR labs or through university/private labs and requested details on staff and contract plans. DNR said it has equipment purchased in prior years and requested one laboratory FTE in the FY26 budget to operate the instruments and manage sample flow; department staff committed to provide a more detailed plan on lab capacity and potential private‑sector cooperation.
Ending: Department officials said they will provide sampling plans, lab capacity estimates and an outline of the staffing or contractor needs once EPA completes its rulemaking.
