PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals pose health and environmental risks for many communities. A post on the American Public Works Association – Minnesota Chapter website offers ideas for preparing elected officials and residents to deal with this issue. A summary report of a 2022 PFAS forum for airport personnel is also available.
In the APWA-MN post, author Abbie Browen calls PFAS the “inevitable chemicals.” Browen, the City of Plymouth public works operations manager, writes that advancements in technology and laboratory testing protocols mean that even small amounts of PFAS contaminates will be detected.
Browen shares three steps Plymouth is taking to tackle PFAS in its water supply: collecting data, staying informed on regulations, and communicating with elected officials. “Doing so allows an opportunity to establish contingency plans for maintaining water quality and quantity if either our results increase, or the regulated limits continue to decrease over time,” she writes.
The 2022 PFAS forum, held April 5, 2022, in Rochester, gathered environmental experts, state and federal regulatory officials, and airport managers to discuss how best to transition away from using PFAS to extinguish fires on airport grounds. While the forum focused on airports, many local agency facilities also fall under state and federal PFAS regulations.
The summary report—PFAS Forum: Cleanup and Upcoming Regulations—gives an overview of the chemicals and the risks they pose and provides links to further information. The report is available free for download on the Airport Technical Assistance Program (AirTAP) website. The event was sponsored by the MnDOT Office of Aeronautics and administered by AirTAP, in partnership with Minnesota’s Local Air Service Action Committee.