Press Releases

Last week, Representative Mike Lawler (NY-17) joined his colleagues Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Representative Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) in introduced two bipartisan bills aimed at helping curb the threat of PSAS contamination from forever chemicals in communities near regional airports.

Some fire suppression foams used at airports contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have been linked to health hazards including cancer and developmental harm.

PFAS are classified as ‘forever chemicals’, meaning they do not naturally degrade, and pose an escalated risk for buildup if leaked into the groundwater of nearby communities, as it has been found in San Luis Obispo and other California communities.

The two bills aim to help airports transition away from PFAS foams, enlist the federal government to help with that transition, and ensure federal agencies are keeping up with plans to phase out these toxic tools.

The two bills introduced by the three lawmakers are:

• The Pollution-Free Aviation Sites (PFAS) Act, which would create a new transition fund within the Department of Transportation to provide grants to airports needing support to replace PFAS foams with fluorine-free alternatives.

• The Save our Airports Reporting Act, which requires the Federal Aviation Administration to provide a progress report every 6 months on their efforts to transition to the use of PFAS-free firefighting foams.

“As a member of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force, ensuring that Americans are safe from PFAS chemical exposure is a top concern. We know that PFAS exposure can lead to higher chances of cancer and tumors in organs such as the liver and kidneys, as well as higher cholesterol levels , hypertension, thyroid, disease, and many other illnesses,” said Congressman Lawler (NY-17). “I was proud to join Congressman Dan Kildee earlier this year in introducing legislation to ensure our veterans exposed to this toxic chemical get the help that they need and I am also proud to join my colleagues Representatives Carbajal and Van Orden on legislation to help our nation’s airports transition away from the use of PFAS-containing foams, helping to ensure the safety of travelers, airport staff, and surrounding communities.”

“Access to clean drinking water is paramount to protecting the health of our communities. But federally-required foams used at our airports have been found to contain chemicals that pose a grave threat to our drinking water and public health,” said Congressman Carbajal (CA-24). “That’s why I’m introducing legislation that enlists federal agencies, the same ones that oversee sites like San Luis Obispo that are already fighting contamination, to help our airports clean up this public health threat, as well as hold them accountable for their plan to phase out these chemicals for good.”

“PFAS has contaminated multiple communities across the Third Congressional District, the state of Wisconsin, and the country. The federal government mandated these chemicals and it’s the federal government’s responsibility to clean them up. Wisconsinites should be able to access water without fear of contamination. I’m proud to join Reps. Carbajal and Lawler in this bipartisan effort to deliver a cleaner environment for our children and wildlife,” said Congressman Van Orden (WI-03).

New York's 17th Congressional District is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.