Pace® PFAS News & Views – April 2026
- By: Lindsay Boone, M.Sc.
- Tags: Pace® PFAS News and Views, PFAS
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FEDERAL
DOD Publishes 2026 Interim Guidance on PFAS Disposal and Destruction
The Department of Defense (DOD) has issued updated 2026 interim guidance on how military facilities should destroy or dispose of PFAS‑containing materials, including AFFF, contaminated soil, and rinsate. The document lays out a decision framework that prioritizes permitted hazardous waste landfills and high‑temperature hazardous waste incinerators, while identifying municipal solid waste landfills and deep-well injection as generally less suitable.
The PFAS Drinking Water Saga Continues
As reported by the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), on March 2, 2026, EPA submitted two new motions to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit related to lawsuits over its National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for PFAS. The motions followed a January 21, 2026, decision in which the court refused EPA’s earlier request to vacate the Hazard Index portion of the PFAS rule. One motion asked the court to sever litigation over four of the six PFAS standards (PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO‑DA, and PFBS) and pause that part of the case while EPA reconsidered its scientific and legal approach for those chemicals.
However, on March 19, 2026, a three‑judge D.C. Circuit panel denied EPA’s request, meaning litigation over all six PFAS standards will continue on a unified track even as EPA pursues a separate rulemaking to rescind the Hazard Index PFAS MCLs. EPA has already sent a proposed rule to rescind those four PFAS standards to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review, and the agency intends to keep the PFOA and PFOS standards in place during that process.
EPA Launches Technical Assistance Program for Water Systems
On March 4, 2026, EPA announced the Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) program. This “back-to-basics” program is designed to strengthen technical support for drinking water and wastewater systems, including small and rural systems facing complex challenges such as PFAS compliance. It provides targeted engineering, operational, workforce, and financial assistance to help systems achieve and sustain Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act requirements.
Pesticides Approvals Questioned Due to Ultrashort-Chain PFAS Concerns
EPA is under pressure from several allied advocates to reject Missouri’s and Arkansas’s request for an emergency exemption under Section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to use tetflupyrolimet (TFP), a not‑yet‑registered PFAS herbicide, on rice fields to control herbicide‑resistant barnyardgrass. Among other arguments, they are concerned that the TFP would further contaminate water and ecosystems and break down into toxic ultrashort‑chain PFAS such as trifluoroacetic acid (TFA).
To learn more about ultrashort-chain PFAS, read our recent post: Ultrashort‑Chain PFAS: Why They Matter and How to Measure Them
U.S. Supreme Court Declines PFAS-Related Case
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals from Maryland and South Carolina that sought to keep PFAS contamination lawsuits against several PFAS producers in state court. The Court’s leaves in place a Fourth Circuit ruling that the cases belong in federal court, where the defendants can more fully invoke federal‑officer and related defenses tied to their production of PFAS‑containing firefighting foams for the military.
Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act Reintroduced
In March, The Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act was reintroduced in Congress. This bill would create a national framework to identify, restrict, and phase out non‑essential uses of PFAS, while tightening reporting and environmental controls on their manufacture and use. It directs federal experts to determine which uses are truly essential, requires companies to disclose how and where PFAS are used, and sets deadlines for eliminating non‑essential applications. It also strengthens cleanup and liability rules so that companies, rather than communities, bear the costs of PFAS remediation. Similar legislation was introduced in 2024 and referred to committees in both the House and Senate but never advanced to markup, floor debate, or a recorded vote before Congress adjourned.
Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act Introduced
Also introduced in March, The Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act would create a five‑year, $1 billion federal grant program to help wastewater utilities install advanced treatment technologies to remove challenging pollutants like PFAS. The bill would cover up to 50% of project costs, direct at least 49% of funds to financially stressed communities (with cost‑share waived for those communities), cap EPA and state administrative expenses at 1%, and launch a national study on how effectively these technologies remove emerging contaminants.
KEY STATE ACTIONS
Phase 2 NRWA Cost Recovery Program Now Open
Phase 2 of the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) PFAS Cost Recovery Program is now open. This program is an excellent opportunity for public water systems that first detected PFAS after June 22, 2023, to seek cost recovery for testing, treatment, and compliance efforts. The NRWA is encouraging eligible systems to register at no cost so they do not miss upcoming settlement deadlines and can secure much-needed funding to help protect their customers and communities.
California
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released a draft Product-Chemical Profile proposing to list floor maintenance products that contain PFAS (such as floor finishes and strippers) as “Priority Products” under the Safer Consumer Products (SCP) Program. DTSC is seeking stakeholder data and comments on PFAS use, exposure, and potential alternatives in these floor products to inform whether to move forward with regulation. A virtual public workshop on the draft profile was held on March 19, 2026, and written comments were due by March 31, 2026.
Introduced in January 2026 and then amended in March, California AB 1603 aims to phase out PFAS in pesticides by setting a clear end date for their use in agriculture and closing loopholes around intentionally added PFAS in pesticide products. If passed as currently drafted, it would prohibit, starting January 1, 2035, the manufacture, sale, and use of any pesticide that contains intentionally added PFAS as either an active or inert ingredient.
Florida
In mid-March, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued guidance, reminding all community and non-transient non-community water systems that they must complete Initial Monitoring for PFAS as outlined in the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations or obtain approval to use eligible prior data by April 26, 2027. In the guidance, Florida DEP notes that in May of 2025, the U.S. EPA signaled an intent to extend the PFAS MCL compliance date to 2031 and reconsider certain PFAS standards, but that the current proposal does not include changing or extending the Initial Monitoring schedule.
Georgia
Introduced on February 26, 2026, the Georgia SB577 Coordinated PFAS Remediation Act seeks to centralize and coordinate the state’s litigation and remediation efforts related to PFAS contamination in public waters, lands, and facilities and to reserve PFAS-related claims to the state rather than local governments.
Maine
Maine lawmakers have advanced LD 2115, a bill that would create a Well Contamination Response Fund to pay for testing and cleanup of private drinking water wells contaminated with PFAS from spills, the land application of sewage sludge (biosolids), and similar sources. The bill, prompted in part by a 1,500‑gallon PFAS‑laden firefighting foam spill at a Brunswick airplane hangar in August 2023, has passed both chambers on bipartisan votes but still requires funding before it can take effect.
Minnesota
Minnesota’s Pollution Control Agency released a draft currently unavoidable use (CUU) proposal explaining how manufacturers can seek exemptions to continue selling products with intentionally added PFAS after the state’s broad PFAS product ban takes effect. Comments were accepted through MPCA’s online portal until 4:30 P.M. CST on March 29, 2026, so the public comment period is now closed.
North Carolina
North Carolina has committed $17 million in grants to extending public water lines to more than 300 homes in New Hanover County, where private wells have been contaminated by PFAS, including GenX, in the Cape Fear River Basin. The funding, drawn from EPA’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities program, is part of a larger statewide $472 million investment in water infrastructure aimed at tackling PFAS pollution, improving drinking water systems, and protecting residents who have relied on vulnerable private wells.
New Jersey
On March 23, New Jersey Senate Bill S1281 received a unanimous vote in the Senate and is awaiting further action in the Assembly. If enacted, this legislation would prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of most apparel containing intentionally added PFAS, with requirements taking effect two years after the act becomes law. The bill targets a wide range of clothing and textile products, including everyday garments and outdoor or performance apparel.
New Mexico
On March 23, New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board approved a sweeping PFAS in consumer products rule to implement the state’s PFAS Protection Act, including phasing out most consumer products with intentionally added PFAS, requiring manufacturers to report PFAS uses, and mandating prominent PFAS labels so shoppers can identify products containing these chemicals. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is now preparing the final rule text for publication, with initial product phase‑outs and labeling requirements scheduled to begin taking effect in 2026–2027 and broader prohibitions by 2032.
New York
New York has launched a Private Well PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate Pilot Program that offers free PFAS testing to private well users in six counties and financial assistance if contamination is detected. Eligible well owners receive no-cost PFAS testing, and if PFOA or PFOS levels meet or exceed the state drinking water standards of 10 parts per trillion, they may be eligible for rebates of up to $5,000 for a home PFAS treatment system or $10,000 to connect to a public water supply.
Virginia
Virginia’s SB 386 and its House companion HB 1443 passed the General Assembly in March and are headed to the Governor’s desk. If signed, this legislation would require sewage treatment plants that land apply, market, or distribute sewage sludge to regularly test it for PFAS and disclose results to landowners. The law would also restrict or prohibit land application once PFOS/PFOA concentrations exceed specified thresholds, moving over time to a combined PFOS+PFOA standard.
Wisconsin
In mid-March 2026, Wisconsin lawmakers sent a pair of related PFAS bills to the Governor’s desk as part of a roughly $133 million package to address contamination from “forever chemicals” across the state.
- AB 130 focuses on liability, changing Wisconsin’s spills law to protect “innocent landowners,” such as farmers, local governments, some business owners, and fire departments, from being held responsible for PFAS contamination they did not cause.
- AB 131 is the primary spending bill, directing previously budgeted PFAS trust‑fund dollars toward community grants, expanded Well Compensation Grants for private well owners, emergency bottled water, and additional state environmental staff positions to help communities test for and clean up PFAS.
Wisconsin’s Governor has expressed support for the legislation and indicated plans to sign it, saying it will put long‑reserved PFAS funding to work for affected communities and private well owners across Wisconsin.
PACE® ANNOUNCEMENTS
ASTM PFAS Sampling Guide Now Available
Proper sampling of environmental media is critical to avoid PFAS cross-contamination and prevent false positives. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) recently released ASTM E3511-26, Standard Guide for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Sampling of Environmental Media, which provides practical, consensus-based guidance to support PFAS sample collection. Eileen Snyder from Pace® chaired committee. PFAS Product Manager, Nick Nigro, also served on the committee and made significant contributions to the guide.
Pace® Launches New Test Method for Ultrashort-Chain PFAS
Pace® has introduced a new test method for ultrashort-chain PFAS (compounds with three or fewer carbon atoms), closing a critical data gap left by standard PFAS methods such as 537.1, 533, and 1633. Built on advanced instrumentation and quantification techniques consistent with the U.S. EPA’s evolving drinking water guidance, this approach enables reliable detection of highly mobile, persistent PFAS that are often present in groundwater and other aqueous samples.
Contact us to learn more about Ultrashort-Chain PFAS by Direct Inject
Lessons Learned from PFAS Treatability Studies in Drinking Water
An article I wrote for The Georgia Operator magazine was published in their Spring edition. In Lessons Learned from PFAS Treatability Studies in Drinking Water (page 53), I shared why there is no one-size-fits-all solution for PFAS removal, highlighted what UCMR 5 data are revealing about PFOA and PFOS levels in Georgia’s systems, and walked through practical tips on designing effective bench and pilot studies to select the right treatment technology to effectively remediate contamination while controlling costs.
OF INTEREST
PFAS False Advertising Class Actions Growing Threat Across Industries
Study Shows Widely Used Weed Killer to Contain PFAS
Study to Determine Most Effective PFAS Treatments for High-Risk Homes
Wolverine Worldwide Asks Federal Court to Resolve PFAS Contamination Cleanup Dispute with EGLE
The PFAS Nobody is Testing For
The Nuanced Reality of Incinerating PFAS
Maine, Maryland pursue PFAS biosolids remedies amid landfill capacity concerns
New fish consumption guidelines in northeast Minnesota aim to limit exposure to mercury and PFAS
WEBINARS
Navigating the Next Regulatory Era: UCMR 5 Insights, UCMR 6 Predictions, and Perchlorate Considerations,
April 7, 2026, 11:30 AM ET.
In this webinar, our Paul Jackson, Pace® Program Manager, Environmental Compliance & Emerging Contaminants, will walk through what the UCMR 5 nationwide monitoring data reveal, how to leverage your data for PFAS NPDWR compliance, and the potential framework for UCMR 6. Paul will also touch on the latest developments surrounding the U.S. EPA proposal to set an MCL for Perchlorate, including Initial Monitoring requirements, ongoing compliance, and implications for municipalities. Register here.
EVENTS
If you are in the area or attending one of these upcoming events, we would love to meet with you. Contact us to request a meeting.
Annual Clemson Hydrology Symposium, Clemson, SC, April 2, 2026.
Presentation: Is PFAS Sample Cross-Contamination a Major Concern? April 2, 2:00 – 2:20 PM.
Virginia Solid Waste Association on North American (VA SWANA), Virginia Beach, Virginia, April 8-10.
Presentation: PFAS Impacts on NPDES Permits. Biosolids, and What Landfill Operators Need to Know, April 9, 1:45 – 2:10 PM.
Alabama – Mississippi Water Joint Annual Conference, Mobile, AL, April 12-16.
Presentation: Biosolids Analysis for PFAS: Challenges, Considerations, and Options, April 14, 2:00 – 2:30 PM.
Illinois Section, American Water Works Association, Watercon 2026, Peoria, IL, April 14-16.
Presentation: Biosolids Analysis for PFAS: Challenges, Considerations, and Options, April 16, 8:00 – 8:30 AM.
Northeast Waste Management Officials Association, The Science of PFAS: Public Health & the Environment Conference, Worcester, MA, April 14-16.
Virginia Rural Water Association Conference and Technical Expo, Roanoke, VA, April 20-22.
Presentation: PFAS Considerations for Wastewater Professionals, April 22, 10:00 – 11:00 AM.
Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems, Virtual Conference, April 21.
Presentation: Navigating the Next Drinking Water Regulatory Era: UCMR 5 Insights, UCMR 6 Predictions, and Perchlorate Considerations.
Presentation: Biosolids Analysis for PFAS: Challenges, Considerations, and Options.
North Carolina One Water Spring Conference, Concord, NC, April 26 – 29.
Presentation: Is PFAS a Major Cross-Contamination Concern? April 28 10:30 – 11:00 AM
Florida Water Resources Conference, Daytona Beach, April 27 – 28.
North Carolina Waterworks Operators Association (NCWOA) Lab Tech Day, Raleigh, NC, May 7.
Stay Ahead of the Next Wave of Change
From evolving federal proposals to fast-moving state initiatives and new analytical tools, PFAS policies and practices are becoming more complex and intertwined across drinking water, wastewater, biosolids, solid waste, and beyond. The Pace® team will continue to monitor these developments and translate them into clear, actionable insights for utilities, industry, and regulators. If you’d like to discuss how the topics in this month’s update could shape your PFAS strategies, contact us or visit PFAS.com for additional resources and information.
