Horsham, Pa. – August 22, 2019 – Senator Maria Collett (D-Montgomery/Bucks), whose district includes the Horsham Air Guard Station and former Willow Grove Naval Air Station and Warminster Naval Warfare Center, welcomed Governor Wolf to Montgomery County today, where he announced $3.8 million for water treatment in Horsham, Warminster, Warrington, and Warwick Townships.
This investment is a testament to the tireless work of community members, activists, local governments, and elected officials at every level.
“During my campaign, the voters made clear that addressing the PFAS crisis was their number one priority. As their voice in Harrisburg, I have made it mine,” said Senator Maria Collett. “The safety of our families and the environment that we will leave for our children and grandchildren is at stake.
“While this is positive news for the pocketbooks of residents of my district, it is a band-aid on a bullet hole. Meaningful progress will not occur in Pennsylvania until we classify these dangerous chemicals as hazardous substances under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA) and set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for them. And I will not stop speaking out and lobbying my Governor and my colleagues in the General Assembly until this is accomplished and our families’, our veterans’ and our firefighters’ health is no longer at grave risk.”
Senator Collett has introduced legislation to lower the acceptable level of PFAS in our drinking water to 10 parts per trillion until a maximum contaminant level is established by the EPA, DEP, or a Governor’s Executive Order (SB 581). She has also introduced legislation to classify PFAS as hazardous substances under Pennsylvania’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (SB 582).
The Department of Environmental Protection is currently undertaking a PFAS Sampling Plan of more than 300 public water supplies with elevated potential for contamination, based on proximity to typical sources of PFAS, such as military bases, fire training sites, landfills, and manufacturing facilities to better assess the full scope of contamination across the Commonwealth.
###