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Committee amends, releases bill requiring DEP PFAS assessments every five years
Summary
S.1043 was amended to require DEP to consult the Drinking Water Quality Institute and to perform PFAS assessments every five years (instead of annually), focusing on unregulated PFAS and child‑health protection; the committee released the bill after debate over DEP resources.
Senator Greenstein’s bill S.1043, which directs the Department of Environmental Protection to assess regulation of per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), was amended and released after hours of testimony and discussion about science, funding and agency capacity.
Environmental advocates including Angelie Ramos of the New Jersey Sierra Club described PFAS as a long‑running contamination problem and urged robust testing and regulation, saying PFAS production and environmental persistence have created widespread exposure. Ramos testified the bill would help the state "get a handle" on contamination and protect drinking water.
Industry witnesses and municipal representatives raised resource concerns, arguing the DEP may not be staffed to produce annual assessments. In response, the committee adopted amendments requiring the DEP to consult the Drinking Water Quality Institute and to perform the assessments every five years rather than annually; the amendments also clarified the assessment would focus on PFAS species not already regulated by state or federal law and require consideration of child health when evaluating proposed maximum contaminant levels.
Committee members recorded a roll call approving the amended bill and released it for further legislative consideration. Members directed sponsors to follow up on DEP funding and use of settlement monies from ongoing PFAS litigation.
