Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force
On November 4, 2019, Governor Ned Lamont officially released the PFAS Action Plan prepared by the Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force. The plan recommends a comprehensive series of actions to address per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in Connecticut.
Implementation of the recommended initiatives outlined in the plan has transitioned to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Department of Public Health (DPH), and other state agencies. An update on actions completed to-date was provided on December 8, 2022:
- PFAS Task Force Action Plan Update Presentation, December 8, 2022
- CT-N December 8, 2022 PFAS Task Force Meeting Recording
- DAS Blog: DAS is working to remove PFAS from our state's environment (December 13, 2022)
For more information please contact:
- Meghan Lally - CT DEEP Remediation Division, PFAS Lead
- Pat Bisacky - CT DPH Emerging Contaminants Unit, Supervising Environmental Analyst
Task Force Process
The Interagency PFAS Task Force was established by Governor Ned Lamont on July 8, 2019 to protect Connecticut residents and the environment from the harmful effects of PFAS. This Task Force, which was led by the DPH and DEEP and included representatives from a broad variety of state agencies, was tasked with delivering a PFAS Action Plan to Governor Lamont containing a comprehensive strategy to:
- Minimize human health risk for Connecticut residents,
- Minimize future releases of PFAS to the environment, and
- Identify, assess, and clean up historic releases of PFAS to the environment.
To address these three focus areas, the Task Force established Committees on:
These committees welcomed participation from all interested stakeholders. Over 400 public comments were received during the public comment period following the release of the draft action plan. After review and careful consideration of each comment, the draft plan was revised, to reflect public input.
Task Force Meetings and Webinars
December 8, 2022- Task Force Meeting
- PFAS Task Force Action Plan Update Presentation, December 8, 2022
- CT-N December 8, 2022 PFAS Task Force Meeting Recording
September 18, 2019 - Task Force Meeting
August 28, 2019 - Task Force Meeting
PFAS Interagency Task Force Meeting - August 28, 2019
July 30, 2019 - Task Force Kick-Off Meeting
Task Force Webinars
- PFAS 101 Webinar Presentation
- PFAS 101 Webinar Video (1.5 hour) (August 7, 2019)
Past PFAS-Related Actions and Events (2013-2019)
2019
- Final PFAS Action Plan released on November 4, 2019
- B-17 plane crashed at Bradley International Airport. PFAS-containing AFFF was used to extinguish the fire resulting in a second PFAS release to the Farmington River.
- Draft PFAS Action Plan released on October 1, 2019
- DPH begins to require PFAS testing at new proposed public water supply wells.
- DEEP begins to perform PFAS testing near Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) landfills.
- In response to the release of PFAS-containing firefighting foam
from a Bradley Airport hangar that ultimately discharged to the
Farmington River, DEEP and DPH meet with and educate public officials
and residents in Windsor. DEEP is working with the hangar owner to
coordinate ongoing testing and cleanup.
- DEEP Remediation Division Update – July 12, 2019
- Results of initial water sampling – information on the initial June 8 release and the water sampling performed on June 9 and 11, 2019.
- Results of surface water sampling performed on June 21, 2019
- DEEP Remediation Division Update – July 12, 2019
- DEEP Presentation at Windsor Public Information Meeting, July 2, 2019
- DEEP Presentation at Windsor Public Informational Meeting, October 30, 2019
- Dept. of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) and DEEP issue an AFFF Use Bulletin to educate local fire departments on PFAS, and recommend no further training with AFFF, discontinued use of legacy AFFF, use of modern AFFF only when necessary, and report to DEEP when AFFF is used.
- DESPP distributes a survey to fire departments to inventory existing AFFF stock.
- Governor Lamont establishes the Interagency PFAS Task Force to bring the relevant state agencies and entities together to create a comprehensive state strategy for addressing PFAS.
2018
- Due to the Westchester PFAS detections, DEEP and DPH lead sampling events and coordinate with the local health department to lead public outreach in Greenwich. Elevated levels of PFAS above the DPH Drinking Water Action Level are detected in one private well.
- DPH requires 80 large public water systems to perform land use risk assessments evaluating their water supply sources’ vulnerability to PFAS contamination.
- DEEP and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) form a committee to evaluate and select PFAS-free alternatives to AFFF firefighting foam.
2017
- NY state officials notify DPH of PFAS groundwater contamination in Westchester County, NY, near the Westchester County Airport.
- DEEP Remediation Division conducts outreach to Remediation Roundtable on PFAS, requesting that PFAS be addressed as a contaminant of concern at sites where warranted based on past site history and operations.
2016
- DPH establishes a Drinking Water Action Level of 70 ppt for the summed concentrations of five PFAS compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS).
- DEEP and DPH staff begin to collaborate on PFAS.
2013-2015
- EPA-mandated testing confirms that none of Connecticut’s large public drinking water systems (i.e., systems serving >10,000 people) contain elevated levels of PFAS above EPA reporting limits at that time.
Related Webpages:
- DEEP Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Webpage
- DPH Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Webpage
Content Last Updated March 24, 2023