Dems ask EPA to reconsider ‘forever chemicals’ rollback

By Miranda Willson | 08/05/2026 06:36 AM EDT

Twenty-six Senate Democrats are asking EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to take back a proposal that would rescind drinking water limits for four PFAS.

Sen. Adam Schiff during a hearing.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is leading a request asking EPA to rethink rulemaking on "forever chemicals." Allison Robbert/AP

Senate Democrats are urging the Trump administration to reconsider plans to repeal drinking water limits for some “forever chemicals” and delay compliance deadlines for others, arguing that the changes contradict prior EPA findings.

In a letter Tuesday to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, 26 Democrats said the proposed changes to a Biden-era drinking water regulation for the harmful chemicals could violate the Safe Drinking Water Act and aren’t supported by science.

“EPA has repeatedly stated that protecting Americans from PFAS is a top priority,” the lawmakers wrote. “Yet these proposed rollbacks move in the opposite direction.”

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Known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, “forever chemicals” have been widely used by the military and in consumer products because of their extreme resistance to heat, water and oil.