Trump administration moves to roll back PFAS drinking water rules

The Trump administration announced plans this week to roll back portions of the nation’s first federal drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals, drawing criticism from environmental advocates on Long Island who say the move weakens protections for communities already grappling with groundwater contamination.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it plans to rescind and reconsider limits adopted last year for four PFAS compounds — PFHxS, PFNA, GenX chemicals and PFBS — while extending compliance deadlines for standards governing PFOA and PFOS, two of the most widely studied and regulated PFAS chemicals.

The announcement prompted immediate backlash from Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, who said the rollback would undermine efforts to protect drinking water supplies on Long Island and nationwide.

“PFAS chemicals are dangerous even at very low levels,” Esposito said in a statement. “Weakening federal protections threatens public health and delays urgently needed cleanup efforts.”

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large group of synthetic chemicals linked to cancer, liver damage, immune system effects and developmental problems. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” they persist in the environment and have been detected in groundwater throughout Long Island, including in Riverhead Town and at the former Navy/Grumman site in Calverton.

The EPA said it intends to maintain standards for PFOA and PFOS, but would extend the deadline for water systems to comply from 2029 to 2031. The agency said the changes are intended to give utilities additional time and flexibility while reducing costs.

Environmental groups, however, argue the rollback weakens federal enforcement tools and could complicate cleanup efforts at contaminated sites.

The move also places EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in an unusual political position on eastern Long Island, where he spent years in Congress highlighting drinking water contamination concerns and calling for federal accountability over PFAS pollution tied to the former Navy-owned Calverton site.

As a congressman representing eastern Suffolk County, Zeldin repeatedly pressed federal agencies over contamination linked to the former Grumman/Navy facility in Calverton and supported efforts to address emerging PFAS concerns affecting Long Island drinking water supplies.

The rollback comes as local officials continue pressing the federal government for stronger action on contamination connected to the Calverton site, where Suffolk County officials recently said testing shows PFAS and other contaminants continue migrating through groundwater and into nearby surface waters.

RiverheadLOCAL has previously reported extensively on PFAS contamination concerns tied to the former Calverton site, including county testing showing contamination in groundwater, ponds and fish tissue near the former Navy-owned property. Suffolk County officials have urged the Navy to undertake a more aggressive cleanup effort, arguing contamination has spread beyond the site and threatens the Peconic Estuary.

Long Island has been at the center of national PFAS concerns for years due to widespread groundwater contamination linked to industrial sites, firefighting foam and aviation-related activities. New York State has adopted some of the nation’s strictest PFAS drinking water standards, but advocates say federal regulations remain critical because they influence cleanup enforcement, liability and long-term remediation requirements.

The EPA’s proposal is expected to undergo a formal rulemaking process that will include public comment before changes are finalized.

The agency said it will continue working with states and utilities on PFAS compliance and cleanup efforts. Environmental groups vowed to fight the rollback.

“This is not the time to weaken protections,” Esposito said. “Communities on Long Island are already paying the price for decades of PFAS contamination.”