LANSING, Mich. –  A seven-bill package focused on addressing the pressing issue of PFAS contamination in the state and holding polluters accountable marks a significant step toward environmental justice and community well-being. 

"The people of Michigan have paid a high price related to contamination from PFAS and other pollutants for too long,” said Rebecca Meuninck, Great Lakes regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation. “Those costs have been borne by families across the state paying higher water rates to remove PFAS from their drinking water, subsistence anglers who can no longer safely consume PFAS-contaminated fish in some lakes and rivers, and families who have lost loved ones as a result of diseases linked to PFAS contamination.”

Holding polluters accountable for cleaning up their contamination is poised to make a substantial difference in the lives of Michiganders, shifting the financial burden for site cleanup from taxpayers and ratepayers to the responsible parties. For years, PFAS-impacted community members in the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network (GLPAN) have advocated tirelessly for reform, emphasizing the necessity of ensuring that polluters bear the responsibility for cleanup costs. The National Wildlife Federation is a coalition member of GLPAN.