Charleston Leader

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), partaking in a hearing focused on "Examining PFAS as Hazardous Substances," reiterated the importance of ensuring that polluters bear the responsibility for the cleanup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals."

Capito highlighted the purpose of the hearing, stating, "This is a public forum to get into sort of the nitty gritty of what we've been trying to work on in private by getting stakeholders from every single aspect of this issue... We're aiming at the polluter pays, the polluters should pay [for] the cleanup."

She further emphasized the need to enshrine the principle of polluters paying for cleanup into law, saying, "If we all agree on that, why wouldn't we just agree on putting it in the statute and making it a bright line and making it very clear?"

The discussion at the hearing revolved around the concept of "passive receiver protections" and the necessity of holding original polluters accountable for the environmental impact of PFAS contamination. Capito's remarks underscored the importance of legislative action to ensure that those responsible for pollution are held financially responsible for remediation efforts.

The hearing served as a platform for stakeholders to engage in detailed discussions on addressing PFAS contamination and establishing robust mechanisms to compel polluters to bear the costs of cleanup. Capito's advocacy for clear statutory provisions to enforce polluter responsibility resonated throughout the proceedings, emphasizing the urgency of implementing concrete measures to address the cleanup of hazardous substances.

The call for legislative action to mandate polluters to pay for cleanup aligns with the broader consensus among stakeholders, reinforcing the commitment to holding accountable those responsible for environmental contamination.