PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 9, 2022
Congress is considering new legislation to provide grants for testing and filtration systems to remove so-called forever chemicals and other contaminants from drinking water supplies in rural areas. The Healthy H2O Act was introduced Thursday in the House by Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and others, at the same time a companion bill was introduced in the Senate. Maine is having a “forever chemical” crisis, with new contaminated sites being identified regularly, but it’s not a Maine-only problem, Pingree said. Maine is “ahead of the curve” on testing, she said, but it’s likely the rest of the nation is facing the same problem: “they just don’t know it yet. The Healthy H2O Act will make testing and treatment technology more accessible so we can address contaminants in our water, and so our communities can be protected against these harmful chemicals.”