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WASHINGTON, DC 20510

May 15, 2018

The Honorable Scott Pruitt
Administrator

Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460

Dear Administrator Pruitt,

We are writing in response to a troubling report1 that of?cials from the White House, Of?ce
of Management and Budget, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Defense
(DOD) intervened in order to delay the release of a study by the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) concerning the health
effects of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The unreleased HHS assessment reportedly concludes
that those chemicals pose a danger to human health at a far lower level than EPA has previously said
was safe. If this report is accurate and administration of?cials sought to suppress release of critical
public health information in the interest of avoiding a ?public relations nightmare,? it is an
unacceptable failure of leadership and a failure to protect public health.

Per?uoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a class of toxic chemicals affecting communities
across the nation. These chemical substances are linked to certain cancers and other serious adverse
health effects. They are often used to manufacture products like fabric protectors, ?re?ghting foam,
and stain repellents due to rigorous chemical properties that also make them persistent in the
environment and resistant to degradation.

ATSDR is directed by Congressional mandate to perform speci?c functions concerning the
effect on public health of hazardous substances in the environment, including health consultations
concerning speci?c hazardous substances. According to internal EPA emails that were released to
the Union of Concerned Scientists under the Freedom of Information Act, on January 30, 2018, a
political appointee who oversees environmental issues at the White House Of?ce of Management
and Budget, forwarded an email from another White House aide about the PFAS report
to the Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) top ?nancial of?cer, which stated:

?Tbe pub/it, media, and Congrem'oaa/ reaction to tbeie numbers ii going to be bage. . .Tbe impact to EPA
arid D013 is going to be extremeb/paibfai. We arid EPA) eamzot mm to get/1T5 DR to realize tbe
potential/public reiatiom~ bigbtmare tbis it going to be.?

The ATSDR report still has not been publicly released. Given the scope of the
contamination nationwide and the ongoing exposure of communities across the United States to
these chemicals, it is imperative that the public receive an opportunity to review the ATSDR report.
Therefore, we request that you release the draft report immediately. We also request that you

 

1 

provide our of?ces with all internal documents and communications in your agency?s possession
regarding any internal deliberations or discussion about this report within 10 business days.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to receiving your response



Sincerely,

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Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator

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Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

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Jeanne Shaheen
United States Senator

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Warren
United States Senator

Bernard Sanders
United States Senator

 

Thomas R. Carper 0

United States Senator

 

Debbie Sta enow
United States Senator

Edward J. Marke_% a

United States Senator

 

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(M C. Peters

United States Senator

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Margaret Wood Hassan
United States Senator