Senate Bill S4386

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S4386

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the public health law, in relation
to establishing maximum contaminant levels for perfluoroalkyl
carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) in
public drinking water

 PURPOSE :

This bill directs the Department of Health to conduct a health review
of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids
and establish maximum contaminant levels for their presence in public
water supplies that is protective of public health.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one of the bill would amend the public health law to add a new
section 1100-b directing the commissioner of the department of health
to conduct a comprehensive health review of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic
acids and perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids and establish maximum
contaminant levels for their presence in public supplies of potable
water that is protective of public health. This section further
directs the department of health to complete this review as soon as
practicable while adhering to existing rulemaking procedures.

Section two establishes the effective date.
              

 JUSTIFICATION :

The recent contamination of drinking water in several New York
communities by perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFSAs) and
perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) has raised significant concerns
regarding public health. Communities affected by contamination from
these chemicals include: Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Suffolk
County; Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh in Rensselaer County; Newburgh
in Orange County; White Creek and Cambridge in Washington County; and
Fort Drum in Jefferson County.

PFCAs and PFSAs are "long-chain" perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs).
"Long chain" PFCs - particularly, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) - have been found to be persistant,
bioaccumulative, toxic and carcinogenic.

These chemicals are still not regulated at the federal level under the
Safe Drinking Water Act. Although, PFOA and PFOS were included in the
Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule as chemicals that are
known to exist in public water systems that may present a public
health risk.

New York State has adopted the life-time and short-term health
advisory levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency for PFOA
and PFOS. However, other states including neighboring New Jersey and
Vermont have set lower regulatory levels based on extensive review and
analysis of existing scientific research. This research has
demonstrated that risks to public health may exist at exposure levels
below the current EPA health advisory levels.

This bill would therefore direct the commissioner of the Department of
Health to conduct a comprehensive health review for PFCAs and PFSAs
and to establish maximum contaminant levels for their presence in
public supplies of potable water that is protective of public health.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

This is a new bill.

 BUDGET IMPLICATIONS :

Minimal.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act would take effect immediately.