President Joe Biden has signed into law Rep. Salud Carbajal’s (CA-24) Clean Airport Agenda, a slate of bipartisan bills aimed at helping curb the threat of forever chemicals near airports.
The bills are part of the bicameral aviation policy package crafted over the past year with the help of Carbajal and his colleagues on the House Aviation Subcommittee.
The Clean Airport Agenda includes Carbajal’s Pollution-Free Aviation Sites (PFAS) Act, which establishes a grant program to support airports as they replace firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
It also contains the Save Our Airports Reporting Act, which requires regular progress reports from federal agencies as airports phase out these forever chemicals.
“Clean and safe drinking water is paramount to protecting the health of our communities. But our regional airports pose risks to that threat through no fault of their own,” said Carbajal. “Their use of foams containing PFAS chemicals was a requirement of the federal government, and so we should ensure the federal government is helping them phase out these chemicals once and for all.
“My Clean Airport Agenda not only gives these airports a helping hand to transition to safer firefighting foams, but it also ensures we are holding federal agencies accountable for their plans to phase out these toxic tools,” he said.
Chris Hastert, Santa Barbara Airport director, said “This legislation underscores the essential role of federal support in our transition away from existing federally mandated use of firefighting foam containing PFAS.
“A federal commitment is vital for a successful and effective shift towards safer alternatives at all commercial service airports.”
The Clean Airport Agenda, which was co-led by Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) and Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03), is part of the bicameral aviation policy legislation under sections 762 and 767.
“I was proud to join my colleagues Representatives Carbajal and Van Orden to introduce this legislation last year, which will facilitate the transition of our nation’s airports away from the use of PFAS-containing foams, helping ensure the safety of travelers, airport staff, and surrounding communities,” Lawler said.
“The federal government is long overdue in their work to combat the PFAS contamination they created,” said Van Orden. “My constituents, and Americans across the nation, should be able to access safe, clean water.”
The bills have the support of airport-focused and firefighter safety organizations such as the International Association of Fire Fighters, Airports Council International — North America, the California Airports Council, and the Environmental Working Group.
“It’s well past time to remove toxic, PFAS-laden foams from use at our nation’s airports. Firefighters and the public deserve better,” said Edward A Kelly, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).
“The IAFF stands firmly behind Reps. Salud Carbajal and Mike Lawler’s bipartisan legislation directing the FAA to replace these carcinogens with safer alternatives,” Kelly said. “Our union will work tirelessly to make sure this bill becomes a reality so that every firefighter – and the people we protect – avoid needless exposure to forever chemicals.”