Regulatory changes, compliance guidance, and policy updates affecting PFAS compliance.
EPA published two related Federal Register notices on May 20, 2026 affecting the 2024 PFAS NPDWR. Public hearing July 7, 2026. Written comments due July 20, 2026.
EPA proposes to rescind the MCLs and Hazard Index for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and PFBS adopted in the 2024 NPDWR, narrowing federal limits to PFOA and PFOS only.
EPA proposes to extend the PFOA/PFOS MCL compliance deadline from April 26, 2029 to December 31, 2031, giving water systems 32 additional months to install treatment.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues this notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) to address the unreasonable risk of death and injury associated with lithium-ion batteries used in micromobility products due to hazards such as thermal runaway of lithium cells, which can lead to fires, explosions, gas releases, burns, overheating, and smoke inhalation. The NPR proposes that electrical systems using lithium-ion batteries in micromobility products comply with applicable voluntary standards, with modifications. Because some micromobility products are children's products requiring third party testing, the NPR also proposes to add this rule to the list of rules that require such testing.
Per CA OEHHA's Q2 2026 chemical listing docket, the agency is advancing additional PFAS compounds (PFNA and PFDA) for Proposition 65 listing as reproductive toxicants under the authoritative bodies mechanism. PFOA and PFOS are already listed. New listings would trigger warning-label obligations for consumer products sold in California containing the compounds above safe-harbor levels.
As reported in MPCA's June 2026 stakeholder bulletin, the agency issued a final pre-deadline reminder to manufacturers covered by Amara's Law that initial PRISM reports are due July 1, 2026. MPCA clarified scope questions around component-level reporting and contract manufacturers, and confirmed it will pursue enforcement against non-reporters after a short grace period. The agency also published an updated FAQ addressing fee schedules and the categorical use exemption process.
The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) has determined that certain of Brazil's acts, policies, and practices at issue in this investigation are actionable under Section 301(b) and Section 304(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (Trade Act). The Trade Representative is proposing action, including tariffs on articles of Brazil and certain exemptions, and invites comments from the public.
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain General Electric Company (GE) Model GEnx-1B64, GEnx-1B64/ P1, GEnx-1B64/P2, GEnx-1B67, GEnx-1B67/P1, GEnx-1B67/P2, GEnx-1B70, GEnx-1B70/75/P1, GEnx-1B70/75/P2, GEnx-1B70/P1, GEnx-1B70/P2, GEnx- 1B70C/P1, GEnx-1B70C/P2, GEnx-1B74/75/P1, GEnx-1B74/75/P2, GEnx-1B76/ P2, Genx-1B76A/P2, GEnx-2B67, GEnx-2B67B, and GEnx-2B67/P engines. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a fuel leak from a worn main fuel pump inlet housing. This proposed AD would require removal from service of the main fuel pump and replacement with a part eligible for installation. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing changes to regulations promulgated under the Technology Transitions provision of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM Act), which authorizes the Administrator to restrict fully, partially, or on a graduated schedule, the use of a "regulated substance" in the sector or subsector in which they are used. This final rule addresses administrative petitions and input received from regulated industry and other interested parties relevant to requirements and restrictions across various refrigeration and air conditioning subsectors, including: refrigerated transport--intermodal containers; industrial process refrigeration and chillers for industrial process refrigeration used in semiconductor manufacturing; retail food supermarket systems; retail food remote condensing unit systems; cold storage warehouses; refrigerated laboratory centrifuges and laboratory shakers; and condensing units in residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps. This final rule also allows the inventory of residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump equipment that was manufactured in the United States or imported into the United States before January 1, 2025, to continue to be installed.
Per NY Senate session tracking, S.4574B (PFAS Discharge Disclosure Act) cleared the New York Senate in late May 2026 and is pending Assembly consideration before the session winds down. The bill would require industrial dischargers to disclose PFAS in wastewater to NYSDEC and to downstream POTWs, expanding the state's pretreatment program. If enacted, it would be one of the broadest industrial PFAS disclosure regimes in the Northeast.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to rescind its regulatory determinations to regulate four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)--perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX chemicals), and mixtures of these three PFAS plus perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS)--under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The EPA is also proposing to rescind all associated regulatory provisions currently codified in the EPA's 2024 PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) exclusive to these PFAS that were promulgated pursuant to the regulatory determinations that the EPA is now proposing to rescind, including the final Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) that would have required monitoring, and where necessary, treatment by public water systems (PWSs). This proposed action is necessary to correct the unlawful procedure under which these regulations were promulgated. Under the EPA's prior interpretation, the EPA proposed and finalized regulatory determinations and regulations for these PFAS simultaneously and in tandem. Under the best reading of the statute, the EPA is not authorized to take such actions simultaneously and therefore, the Agency proposes to rescind those regulatory determinations, Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) and associated portions of the 2024 PFAS NPDWR. The EPA is seeking public comment on this proposal.
In this proposed rulemaking, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes a federal exemption, pursuant to Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) 1416(f) and 1450(a)(1), that will extend the dates of compliance with the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) from April 26, 2029, to April 26, 2031, for those systems that submit a request. The Agency requests comment on this proposal, including the mechanisms through which the MCL compliance deadlines for PFOA and PFOS can be exempted, and has identified specific areas where public input will be helpful for the EPA in developing the final rule. In addition to seeking written input, the EPA will be holding a public hearing on July 7, 2026.
Alongside the May 18, 2026 proposed PFAS rules, EPA announced nearly $1 billion in new fiscal year 2026 grant funding for states under the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) program, bringing the five-year program total to $5 billion. Funds flow to all 50 states and 5 territories via non-competitive grants, then distribute to small (<10,000 population) and disadvantaged communities. Eligible uses: testing, treatment installation, infrastructure construction, source reduction, technical assistance, local contractor training. Largest state allocations: California (~$77.3M), Illinois ($21.3M), Wisconsin (~$15.4M).
This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of oxirane, 2-phenyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(hydrogen 2-sulfobutanedioate), octyl ether, sodium salt (1:2) (CAS Reg. No 2983072-24-6); (also known as oxirane, 2-phenyl-, polymer with oxirane, monooctyl ether, sulphosuccinated, disodium salt) when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation under 40 CFR 180.960. Spring Regulatory Sciences on behalf of Evonik Corporation submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of oxirane, 2-phenyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(hydrogen 2-sulfobutanedioate), octyl ether, sodium salt (1:2) on food or feed commodities when used in accordance with these exemptions.
EPA's new PFAS OUT (Outreach, Updates, and Technical assistance) initiative directly contacts public water systems with PFOA or PFOS concentrations above the 4 ppt MCL, connecting them with funding sources, treatment guidance, and technical assistance. Complements the March 2026 RealWaterTA technical assistance initiative. Systems with detections should expect outreach from EPA regional offices or state primacy agencies.
EPA published a final rule postponing the TSCA Section 8(a)(7) PFAS data reporting period start date from April 13, 2026 to January 31, 2027 (or 60 days after the effective date of a forthcoming substantive requirements rule, whichever is earlier). The six-month submission window is retained for most manufacturers; small manufacturers reporting exclusively as article importers have 12 months total. Any person who manufactured or imported PFAS or PFAS-containing articles since January 1, 2011 must report — including trace amounts. Note: proposed exemptions for imported articles, de minimis concentrations (<0.1%), byproducts, and R&D (proposed Nov 13, 2025) are NOT finalized. The original rule with no exemptions remains in effect.
Department of Defense published updated disposal guidance covering 723 installations and $9.3B+ in cleanup costs. Solid waste landfills dropped, incineration moratorium lifted, AFFF phase-out deadline October 1, 2026.
Bipartisan bill by Sen. Durbin & Rep. McCollum to ban non-essential PFAS in products within 10 years, expand EPA reporting requirements for manufacturers, and strengthen liability protections. Builds on Minnesota's Amara's Law.
Comprehensive tracker of state-level PFAS bans and regulations going into effect in 2026, including product bans, disclosure requirements, and cleanup standards across multiple states.
EPA designated PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA hazardous substances, effective July 2024. This designation triggers mandatory reporting of releases above reportable quantities (1 lb), enables EPA to compel cleanup at contaminated sites, and opens Superfund cost-recovery authority against potentially responsible parties — including manufacturers, industrial users, and municipalities operating PFAS-contaminated landfills.
EPA finalized the first-ever National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) setting maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six PFAS: 4 ppt each for PFOA and PFOS; a hazard index for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and PFBS combined. Applies to all community and non-transient non-community public water systems.
Public water systems have until April 26, 2027 to complete initial PFAS monitoring and report results. Systems exceeding MCLs must notify consumers by 2027 and achieve full compliance — including installing treatment or switching sources — by April 26, 2029. Small systems (serving <10,000 people) may apply for compliance schedule extensions up to two additional years.
EPA designated four Best Available Technologies for PFAS removal under the 2024 NPDWR: granular activated carbon (GAC), anion exchange (IX) resins, nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO). Guidance includes performance data, cost estimates, and applicability thresholds for each BAT. Systems must select and install BAT-compliant treatment by April 2029.
EPA's guidance on destroying PFAS-containing materials including AFFF, investigation-derived waste, and contaminated media. Covers high-temperature incineration, smoldering combustion, supercritical water oxidation (SCWO), electrochemical oxidation, and sonochemical treatment. Includes key operational parameters and monitoring requirements for each technology.
The Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule required ~6,000 public water systems to test for 29 PFAS and lithium between January 2023 and December 2025. Results inform future regulatory actions. Early data showed detections in approximately 45% of systems tested, providing the first nationally representative PFAS occurrence dataset for drinking water.
The Interstate Technology Regulatory Council's comprehensive PFAS guidance covers site characterization, analytical methods, fate and transport, exposure assessment, risk-based decision making, and remediation technologies. Widely referenced by state regulators and practitioners. Includes technology overview tables, case studies, and a state regulatory summary matrix.
The American Water Works Association provides PFAS-specific operator training, webinars, and compliance checklists for water utility professionals. AWWA resources include technical briefs on GAC, anion exchange, and membrane treatment options, state regulatory summaries, public communication templates, and guidance on implementing the 2024 NPDWR requirements.
NRWA and its state affiliates provide free on-site technical assistance to small and rural water systems navigating PFAS monitoring requirements and compliance planning. Services include compliance training, help interpreting sampling results, and guidance on applying for DWSRF and WIIN Act funding. Contact your state rural water association for local support.
The Water Research Foundation has published extensive research on PFAS treatment performance and cost, including design guidance for GAC and ion exchange systems, lifecycle cost comparisons, and piloting protocols. Key findings are widely referenced in EPA guidance and are used by engineers and utility managers to evaluate technology options before committing to capital investments.
EPA's compliance toolbox for water system operators includes sampling protocol guidance for EPA Method 537.1 and Method 533, certified laboratory lists by state, consumer notification templates for consumer confidence reports and MCL violations, and links to best available technology guidance. The primary reference for systems beginning initial PFAS monitoring under the 2024 NPDWR.
EPA updated its lifetime health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS to 0.004 ppt and 0.02 ppt respectively — effectively near zero — based on new epidemiological evidence linking PFAS to cancer, immune suppression, and developmental effects at very low concentrations. Interim until the 2024 NPDWR MCLs took effect.
EPA's whole-agency commitment to addressing PFAS across environmental media. Roadmap commitments cover drinking water MCLs, CERCLA hazardous substance designation, effluent limitation guidelines, Superfund cleanup, toxicological research, and community engagement. Sets the policy framework for all subsequent PFAS regulatory actions.
ATSDR's comprehensive toxicological review of 14 PFAS compounds establishes Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) for oral and inhalation exposure. Covers PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDA, and others. Critical reference for human health risk assessments, site characterization, and exposure modeling at contaminated sites.