Table Of ContentvASCRRRIAS SeMULTZ
cen Scans — CONES of the Hnited States cS
an an Bause of Bepresentatives
Winshington, BE 20818-0923,
owns un riemancer Jonuary 8, 2019
Mr, Aaérow Whosler Mir, Matthew Whitaker
‘Acting Administstor -Acting Attomoy General
U5. Tnvirommeninl Protestion Agen et of Justice
Olive atthe Adiinisratar— 11014 950 Pounsylvania Aversic NW
1200 Pentyyluania Avenue VW Ww
Washington, DC 20460
‘asbington, DC 20530
Dear Acting Administator Waeeler and Acting Attomey General Whitaker;
write to express my deep conoeca regarding the recent diseuvery ofthe conlanninaion of
groundwater and drinking water around the Florida State Fire College in Ocala, Florida, with
ji Fre relaelant chemicals PFOS and PFOA. Fustac, Lwtits to inguire about the
Environmestal Protection Ayerey's (RPA) rocent sefions with fognrds to thosc chemicals iPany,
snd ask the Departmen of Justice to npen un investigation into the potential negligeace of the
Hlorida Departerent of Elealth and Department of Buvicommentl Provectian.
As the EPA pronounced in a 2016 drinking water hecith advisory, exposure to drese vhumnieals —
keovwn as PHOS (perfhuoragstane sulfonate) and PEOA (gerluaroactanaie acid) — ean e
adverse developement hush effects in fetuses, kidney and zesticulae cancer,
evoipremised jmmane systems, thyroid disease, und other maladies, In August 2018, the Fiarda
Deportmert of Environments) Protestion confirmed that PFOS aad PFOA liad een used al the
Tire College before production athe chemsi's wos phased out inthe carly 2000 due to health
euneerts. Conseyuetlly, the agency tll the Fire College in surly Septemiaer of 2018 to eveid
water fiom the tap ane drink aly lle water aller the presence of PFOS and PFOA ia the
sgroundssater was eoatirmed.
‘The Department of Health tested samples from acarby wells in eatly Oesoher und eanfinned that
well water being consumed by private ctizeas was cortaminated with PFOS and PFOA. Desile
the Ger thes the Sie kev about the cencaminstion sinoe August, the Flocida Depactment of
ult di no ond laters tn notify roseemts in the vicinity of the Hie College until Noventber
5. one day belore Elevtion Day, Il 1y0% wagul four moachs for the Dupertmant of Healt sa nosy
Tlovidiens living around the Fire College thar their wate wes cootansinated with carina
cchemfcals, This #8 unnecep'shie,
Even more alarming, accarding lo the Mars Herald and Torapa Bay Tinses inital 4s
andicaced thatthe water atthe college cantainest 280 49 270 parts per tilliom of these dangerous
caomieals. ‘This s more than thive lines higher thc the PPA heullhaivisory Tevel of 70 gars
per rllion. Many sttos have bogua tose: their standards eloser to 1D pans per tilion,
hal the FPA aulvisory is ouldaed gud amuels toa high, Sul worse, contamination Teves atthe
Jocal mining operation registered at 12,000 parts por tillion, or (7 simes greater Cum the EPA's
health advisory level.
salt residents are not the fast to be alarmed by PROS snl PKOA contamination. This ineidont
follas a disturbing trend of PEOS and PPOA cantuninstion events that have occurred across
the nation in resent years. This tead represents an unfortunate and life-threszoning example of
regulation failing tv keep pace with th latest science. Peer-reviewed research estalishioys Ure
‘sks of PFOA and PFOS havo boon around far decades
Ye EPA ts lil nal estlished a nationel drinking water standart fir PFOA und PFOS,
Because these are vol ye! regulated contaminants. a proper systema for monitoring, regulsting,
sud sending notifications for eonlrnnation events is not yet in place, What is BPA doing to
address this issuc? Is BPA :nakiny progress on properly regelating these coataminunls? Why bas
[EPA failed to complete this process even while sstes and :nunicipalities acrass the vunlry wre
‘cing with PFOA and PEOS covtaninasion events? Als, given how the ourens shutdovin is
affecting VPA, Lam concerned that there is no ene ul FPA {y ensure Florida’
‘ealih has wa tnostls ts ndezess this exticl issue at this time,
{also request thatthe Depsstment of justioo snd KU'A’s Criminal lnvesignien Divisic
‘whether the PInrids Departirent of Health ar Deparcieat of Eavinyrirenta] Proection
nozligent with regards lve four-month dslay before the Departenent af Health linally notitieg
affoctod residents. I state agencies responsible for protecting residents rom tnese har lial
‘homies took so long to notify residents, we must ask they have a system in place a detect
these eonaminints aud if they have set notification pelicies 1o prevent fara from befall
look into
Furthermore, 2 lack of clariy stil exits regarding what communications wok plave bebwoen the
governor's office cad the Marita Deparimnent of Health, [am alsa sroubled by Ure fat thet Les
BBeitsch, former Deputy Secretary of ie Deparltaent of Health, was fred etter pushing bel
sagrinst any delay in notitying affecced residents, This kind of potential political inter’erence in
sualiets of life and desta deserves switt and thorough investigation,
By waiting so long to inform resicenss thal Urey were ring. contumnicated water, the Florida
Deparment of Health par people's health at severe risk andl eapardlized their lives, EPA must di
‘wha i can lo help states prevent these kinds of envirennenial anu! puble halt erses fron
‘aapening ia the Zulore, Adiiionally, the Department of Justive must sinsiler investigating the
poor devision-rvaking in Mria's Dezsarimene af Heals, especially easidring thal the agency
residents Mist dhe water was sofe to drink while it waited For tstresulls, even though
en nearby lested pusilive (ir extremely high levels of contamination,
sam
‘We ean see echoes of lint inthis incident ip Ovals, Last yout, EPA"s Olive! Inspector:
General released a report thar ound managemen’ ssexknessos delayed an apaiogziale response
the Flint wster eiss, Jn this report, BPA acinite that tho agency shoud “sttocathen aversight
of sate dining water peograens.” The
das & Jong way To go
scent contansination in Ocala demonstrates that EPA still
Tar the sake a
11 Americans sulfering fom drinking wate: contssainition as a rosult of
negligence hy overnient ollciuls eninusial toprol them, Turge you o review the actions
{Gal le to this public health crisis and investigate wha wen! wrorg and who Ssresponsibe.
Siaccrsly,
Member of Congress
