Vermont PFAS Candidate Questionnaire
The Vermont PFAS/Military Poisons Coalition – a group of individuals and organizations concerned about toxic chemicals and PFAS in our water, soil, and air – conducted its first Vermont candidate questionnaire on PFAS. The questionnaire, based on the National PFAS Contamination Action Plan, was sent to 320 candidates with an explanatory email that included additional educational resources, a PFAS Fact Sheet, and a 6 minute video, Banning PFAS Forever. The questionnaire was used to educate legislators and candidates about the scope and complexity of the PFAS problem and to understand candidate positions on this critical clean water issue.
We spoke to political candidates from all parties, many of whom were glad to participate in this survey due to its non-partisan and educational nature. Contaminated water, soil, and air hurts all Vermonters, and those impacts affect military service members and their families, as well as the civilian population. Water is life, and the need for clean water is universal. Organizers working on the project were gratified to see communication and interest across many parties towards addressing environmental issues, and specifically, water safety, in Vermont.
Of the 320 candidates the coalition contacted, 115 completed the survey, a response rate of 36%. Most candidates received multiple contact attempts and methods, including emails, phone calls, texts, Facebook messenger, and web contact forms. Coalition members were able to have more in depth phone or email conversations with candidates who needed more information about PFAS or who had questions about the survey. The coalition’s goal was at least a 30% response rate, guaranteeing that the survey results were significant. Of the 115 candidates who responded, 58 were Democrats, 6 Democrats/Progressives, 6 Progressive/Democrats, 24 Republicans, 2 Republican/Libertarians, 17 Independents, 1 Progressive, and 1 Green Mountain.
For the US Senate race, 4 candidates responded, but none from a major party. For the US House race, 4 candidates responded, two from the major parties. For the 6 state office races, 7 candidates responded, 5 from major parties. For the Vermont Senate, 27 candidates responded: 6 from Chittenden; 5 from Washington; 4 from Windsor; 2 from Addison, Franklin, Orange, Rutland, and Windsor; 1 from Orleans and Bennington; and none from Caledonia, Essex, Grand Isle, and Lamoille. For the Vermont House, 73 candidates responded: 17 from Chittenden; 8 from Washington; 7 from Windsor; 6 from Windham; 4 from Franklin and Addison; 3 from Rutland, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, and Caledonia; 12 from mixed counties; and none from Bennington.
Candidates were asked two sets of questions. The first set included broad legislation from regulating PFAS to banning it entirely. Candidates were able to check all legislation that they would consider enacting. Listed below are the actions candidates would consider from the highest percentage to the lowest:
77% or 89 candidates would consider listing PFAS as a hazardous substance.
76% or 86 candidates would consider various degrees of regulating PFAS.
66% or 76 candidates would consider banning PFAS.
55% or 64 candidates would consider limiting PFAS to less than 1 part per trillion (ppt).
Candidates were then asked about 13 possible subcategories of legislation and accountability strategies that they would consider.
92% or 106 candidates believe that workers have the right to know if PFAS or other contaminants are in use in the workplace.
86% or 99 candidates believe that the manufacturers and the military must be held responsible for cleaning up PFAS contamination.
85% or 98 candidates believe that manufacturers should legally be required to list all ingredients in their products.
84% or 96 candidates want governmental environmental agencies to provide regular PFAS testing of water, fish, and wildlife.
81% or 93 candidates want the health department to provide PFAS testing of private wells and to educate the public about the dangers of PFAS.
80% or 92 candidates want manufacturers and the military to provide medical monitoring in contaminated communities.
77% or 89 candidates want to restrict landfill operators from releasing leachate into our waterways.
75% or 86 candidates want to prioritize funding and safe research to eliminate PFAS.
74% or 85 candidates want to update the sludge rule to require testing for PFAS.
70% or 81 candidates want to fund projects to safely and properly store PFAS.
65% or 75 candidates want to impose a moratorium on PFAS incineration and disposal until safe disposal methods are found.
54% or 62 candidates want to remove former industry representatives from positions responsible for regulating PFAS.
40% or 46 candidates want to impose a moratorium on the use of biosolid on agricultural lands.
Candidates were invited to make comments on the survey or the suggested actions. 110 candidates chose to make comments. Some comments reflected on the legislation that Vermont has already passed related to PFAS. Some comments reflected a need for more education and information about what PFAS is and what it isn’t. Here is a sampling of the comments received:
My primary concern is that we need to stop adding PFAs to our environment, or efforts to clean up are undermined, and we will lose the ability to clean up and protect those who have been exposed. These are so-called "forever chemicals" which means their presence is cumulative. We need to prevent new pollution AND clean up existing pollution.
Everyone deserves to know what is in the products they buy/ingest and understand how that can affect them and their families. Education is critical. I had not heard about PFAS until I received your email and did some research. Without education, citizens will not know what harmful products they are putting on/in their body. My top priority would be to mandate PFAS to be marked on all products and for the education of citizens to know what it is and how it affects them.
My priority is keeping the waters clean. On earth, only 3% of water is fresh, and only 1% is accessible and drinkable. Water is the life giver, and these chemicals will transform and are transforming water into poison.
I watched the video "Banning PFAS Forever." These forever chemicals are bad news for all life… proper disposal, storage, and monitoring is a huge challenge… An immediate ban on the manufacture and sale of these substances in the United States and importation of these substances into the United States would be a good place to begin… I am going to actively seek out more information on this subject.
We need to give teeth behind our regulatory agencies to enforce the intent of the laws and not let manufacturers get away with creating new compounds to evade regulation. We really need to step up our education game in agriculture and rural communities. I'm concerned about fossil fuels as well. Lobbying should be illegal, in order to fight disinformation that fuels policy… Our groundwater needs to be monitored and managed and treated with more foresight.
Having passed a very basic bill to begin to regulate PFAS last biennium, I would hope to build on this and move towards a total ban and funded mitigation and remediation of the PFAS already in our environment.
PFAS are here. We need to develop alternatives as quickly as possible, do a better job of informing the public on their dangers, create ways to measure and remove them from the environment and hold polluters responsible.
·Protect the public [through] manufacturer and military accountability and responsibility. And not allowing new chemicals to be introduced into the environment and commerce until they are proven SAFE by the manufacturer--- shift the burden off of the people.
PFAS are just a fraction of the chemicals being used today. All novel entities should be subject to the precautionary principle and show actual, unique benefits in their production and use. Methods for landfill mining and toxin destruction must be found. Government should stimulate this research. Dumping, discharge, and landfill disposal must end.
What can we learn from those running for positions in government? First, a large number of candidates are aware of PFAS and the urgent, environmental crisis that it represents. Second, these candidates are willing to consider more legislation to regulate PFAS in our air, water, and soil. Finally, many candidates are trying to decide what will be the most impactful and meaningful actions that can be taken at the state level.
The Vermont PFAS/Military Poisons Coalition is willing to make survey results available to environmental groups and to clean water voters choosing how to cast their ballots. Contact us at pfasfreevt@gmail.com for information. After the November 8 general election, the coalition looks forward to collaborating with candidates who won seats and are interested in introducing PFAS legislation for Vermont.
Sources:
National PFAS Contamination Coalition Action Plan, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UvQn8KLIB6qkbW9ZIliH3QJku2ND9tmr/view
PFAS Fact Sheet This was sent to candidates.
Video: Banning PFAS Forever (6 minutes) This was shared with candidates.
Names of responding candidates (alphabetical by first name)
We wish to thank all those candidates who took time to research PFAS and to participate in our survey:
Adam Ortiz
Aimee Alexander
Alice Emmons
Alison Clarkson
Amy Sheldon
Andrew Perchlik
Angela Arsenault
Ann Cummings
Anna Tadio
Anne Watson
Anthony "Tony" O'Rourke
Avram Patt
Barbara Rachelson
Becca Balint
Becca White
Bernard Peters
Bobby Farlice-Rubio
Brenda Kai Churchill
Brenda Siegel
Brian Cina
Carol Ode
Charles Wilson House
Chip Troiano
Cindy Weed
Cris Ericson
Daisy Berbeco
Dana Colson
Dara Torre
David Templeman
David Zuckerman
Denis White
Devon Thomas
Dexter Lefavour
Dick Sears
Dona Bate
Elizabeth Burrows
Emilie Kornheiser
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak
Esme Cole
Gene Leon
Glennie Fitzgerald Sewell
Heather Chase
Infinite Culcleasure
Irene Wrenner
Jarrod E. Sammis
Jed Lipsky
Jessie Nakuma Palczewski
Jim Masland
Joe Benning
John Klar
John Lyddy
Jon Christiano
Jordan Matte
Joshua Ferguson
Jubilee McGill
Judy Stern
Kate McCann
Katherine Sims
Ken Fredette
Kerry Patrick Raheb
Kesha Ram Hinsdale
Kevin Christie
Kristi Morris
Larry Labor
Leonora Dodge
Liam Madden
Logan Nicoll
Lori Houghton
Marc Mihaly
Mark Coester
Mark Mcdonald
Martine Larocque Gulick
Maryse Dunbar
Mason D. WADE III
Melissa Battah
Michael Tagliavia
Mike Mrowicki
Mollie S. Burke
Monique Priestley
Natasha Diamondstone-Kohout
Paul Bean
Peggy Stevens
Peter Anthony
Peter Duval
Phil Pouech
Randy Brock
Rebecca Holcombe
Rebecca Pitre
Richard (Dick) McCormack
Rikki Risatti
Robert Burton
Robert Hooper
Robin Chesnut-Tangerman
Robin Scheu
Rodney Graham
Sarah Copeland Hanzas
Sarah Toscano
Saudia LaMont
Scott Campbell
Scott Weathers
Senator Robert Starr
Seth Keighley
Stuart Lindberg
Suzanne "Suzi" Hull-Casavant
Tanya Vyhovsky
Taylor Small
Terri L Williams
Terry Martin
Tina Golon
Tom Licata
Vicki Strong
Virginia “Ginny” Lyons
Wendy Harrison
William McGorry
William Notte