Attorney General Raoul opposes rollback of “forever chemicals” drinking water limits
Published 9:25 am Wednesday, July 22, 2026
CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 17 attorneys general, filed comments Monday opposing an Environmental Protection Agency proposal to roll back federal drinking water regulations for a group of toxic chemicals known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals.”
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s in products including nonstick cookware, food packaging, stain-resistant furniture, and clothing. The chemicals do not naturally break down in the environment and are now present in the blood of nearly all humans, according to the coalition.
The EPA has said many PFAS chemicals are linked to serious health effects, including increased risk of several cancers, liver damage, decreased birth weight, birth defects, reduced vaccine response, high cholesterol, and infertility.
Two years ago, the EPA adopted a rule regulating four PFAS chemicals in public drinking water, including GenX and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, following a multiyear process of research and public input under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The agency is now proposing to eliminate that rule, a move that would remove the federal requirement for public water systems to test for, report, or treat drinking water for those chemicals.
“Illinois and the entire nation face the threat of PFAS contamination on a daily basis because these ‘forever chemicals’ do not naturally break down in the environment, posing a significant danger to human health and the environment,” Raoul said in a statement. “My office has taken several actions to protect the residents of Illinois from the health impacts that can result from exposure to these toxic substances, and I will also continue to advocate for stronger regulations of these dangerous synthetic chemicals.”
In their comments, Raoul and the other attorneys general argue the rollback is unlawful, contending that the Safe Drinking Water Act includes a provision preventing the EPA from weakening existing public health protections. The coalition is asking the agency to keep the 2024 rule in place.
The filing is Raoul’s latest action targeting PFAS contamination. Earlier this year, Illinois adopted its own state regulations for the same four PFAS chemicals through the Illinois Pollution Control Board, ensuring the chemicals remain regulated in the state’s drinking water regardless of federal action. In December, Raoul separately opposed proposed rollbacks to PFAS reporting requirements under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act.
Raoul has also pursued several PFAS-related lawsuits in recent years, including a 2022 suit against 3M over alleged contamination at a facility in Cordova, Illinois, and a 2023 suit against manufacturers of PFAS used in firefighting foam.
Joining Raoul in filing Monday’s comments are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
