Gov. Rick Snyder issues executive directive to develop PFAS response plan

LANSING — To ensure continued coordination between state and local agencies in response to nationally emerging PFAS contamination, Gov. Rick Snyder today issued an executive directive to develop a readiness plan to manage expedited responses when PFAS contamination is discovered.

“Michigan is leading the nation in addressing this emerging contaminant,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “To ensure we continue to lead on this issue and protect all Michiganders, we need a framework that allows all agencies to respond quickly and effectively to contamination in our communities. Under this directive, Michigan will have a readiness plan in place to ensure a timely and successful response to PFAS threats.”

Through the work of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART), the state of Michigan is continuing to work diligently to help communities respond to PFAS contamination that threatens public health and safety. To continue to identify PFAS contaminants, inform and empower the public, and mitigate potential effects, the state’s response requires a continuum of strategies. These include being prepared to ensure immediate state assistance to communities threatened by PFAS. This directive addresses that need by establishing the needed coordination, planning, and access to assistance between local and state agencies.

Effective immediately, MPART will coordinate the implementation of the directive. Under the direction of department directors, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will work with state emergency management coordinators and local public health department directors to develop the readiness plan.

Under the directive:

• The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in conjunction with the MPART and DHHS, and working with local units of government, will establish the minimum requirements of a local PFAS readiness plan, taking into consideration the successful response strategies used in the past.

• The director of the DEQ will develop and implement an access program to establish eligibility criteria, make funding decisions, and oversee the management of the funding established in PA 201 of 2017.

• State departments and agencies will provide full support, coordination, and participation in developing the readiness plan, including developing partnerships with other levels of government, the private sector, and non-profit organizations.