SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1043

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 22, 2025

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1043.

      This bill, as amended by the committee, would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to conduct assessments every five years on the regulation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. 

      Specifically, the bill would require the DEP to conduct an assessment every five years of PFASs that are unregulated at the time of the assessment by State or federal law, or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, in order to determine whether a maximum contaminant level or other drinking water standard should be established for additional PFASs.  The bill would also require the DEP to conduct an assessment of whether current and proposed maximum contaminant levels for PFASs adequately protect the health of children, given their lower average body weight, and their higher ratio of drinking water intake by weight, as compared to a maximum contaminant level based on the average adult body weight.  The bill would require the DEP to provide a written report containing the findings of each assessment to the Governor and the Legislature, and to post the report on its website.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments to the bill:

      (1) require that the assessments be performed every five years, rather than annually;

      (2) clarify that the assessment would be required of PFASs unregulated pursuant to State or federal law, or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto;

      (3) require the DEP to take into account whether a proposed maximum contaminant level for PFASs would adequately protect the health of children, given the higher ratio of drinking water intake by weight of children, in addition to the lower body weight of children;

      (4)  require, rather than authorize, the DEP to collaborate with the Drinking Water Quality Institute in implementing the bill’s provisions; and

      (5)  correct a typographical error in the bill.