On April 10, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that ‘forever chemicals’ - known as PFAS - must be removed from tap water across the U.S. In response to the first-of-its-kind regulations, Dorsey & Whitney Partner in Salt Lake City, Gage Zobell, was interviewed across news outlets nationwide.

“PFAS compounds are highly technical issues affecting a wide range of industries and human interactions. EPA’s most recent drinking water rule is one in a long line of PFAS regulations of this administration, but perhaps the one with the greatest day-to-day impact to the average citizen,” said Gage.

He was interviewed on American Ag Network, hosted by broadcaster Jesse Allen, which aired on SiriusXM 147 and was also published on the radio’s podcast.

“These rules are the beginning of another level to test produce and whether the PFAS are in our crops and produce (which they are). We know they infiltrate drinking water, but that water is pumped into our ground and used for our food as well,” explained Gage when asked about other implications and costs for the average rural American citizen. “The EPA rules are a forewarning to cleaning up our drinking water - but also will help regulate the water that is used for our agriculture.”

Listen to the interview on American Ag Network.

Gage also talked to reporter Alejandra Martinez from The Texas Tribune about implications for companies in the state. He said the federal funding will not come close to covering the cost of removing PFAS from drinking water - which leaves water utilities with two options: charging their customers more to pay for upgrades, or suing the companies responsible for the PFAS in the water.

Read the full Texas Tribune article to learn more about how dozens of water systems in the state exceed the new federal limits on PFAS.

Then on April 21, Gage was interviewed by environmental reporter Elise Schmelzer from The Denver Post about how drinking water for 268,000 Coloradans exceeds the new PFAS limits - the report also examined how the state and providers will be able to financially fix the problem which will cost millions. 

Gage told the reporter that PFAS has been recognized as an issue for over a decade, but it wasn’t until 2020 that federal regulators began pursuing significant regulations. The drinking water standards finalized earlier in April were an important step in the regulatory process, said Gage. 

“The problem is: Who is going to bear the cost of doing that?” asked Gage.

Read the full article from The Denver Post.