Senator Capito Questions Trump Nominee on PFAS Contamination and EPA Plans

Senate Hearing on Environmental Protection Agency Nominee

• 📌 Senator Shelley Moore Capito led a questioning session for John Busterud, nominee for Assistant Administrator for the Office of Solid Waste at the EPA.
• ✅ Busterud, along with other nominees, affirmed their commitment to providing information to the committee and ensuring no conflicts of interest.

Addressing PFAS Contamination

• 💧 Busterud acknowledged PFAS contamination as a high priority for the EPA, referencing an agency-wide plan announced on April 28th.
• 🗓️ He committed to increasing the frequency of guidance updates on PFAS destruction from every three years to annually.
• 🏭 The EPA will examine RCRA authorities to prevent PFAS releases from manufacturing and other facilities.
• 🤝 Busterud supports the polluter pays principle and pledged to work on avoiding situations where customers of water utilities are forced to pay for contamination they did not cause.

Infrastructure and Core of Engineers

• 🌉 Senator Capito discussed the critical need for federal partnership in bridge maintenance and enhancement with the FHWA, seeking policy and funding proposals for reauthorization.
• 🏗️ Mr. McMaster expressed his commitment to supporting efforts to accelerate bridge projects, referencing the Bren Spence Bridge as an example.
• 🌊 Chairman Capito also raised concerns about the slowness of work by the Army Corps of Engineers, highlighting the challenge of prioritizing projects with high demand and constrained budgets.
• ⚖️ Mr. Tel stated that prioritization for the Army Corps will follow the law, focusing on primary missions of navigation, flood mitigation, and environmental restoration, balanced by benefits versus costs and life safety.