HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-14 - Resolution No. 2021-44RESOLUTION NO. 2021-44
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE YORBA LINDA WATER DISTRICT
SUPPORTING FEDERAL PFAS LEGISLATION THAT PROTECTS
RATEPAYERS AND WATERIWASTEWATER AGENCIES
WHEREAS, the Yorba Linda Water District ("District") is a county water district organized
and operating pursuant to the provisions of the laws of the State of
California (State or California).
WHEREAS, PFAS are a group of chemicals developed by chemical manufacturers that
would otherwise not exist naturally and despite playing no role in releasing
PFAS into the environment, cities and water agencies must find ways to
remove them from local water supplies.
WHEREAS, PFAS have been detected in the Orange County Groundwater Basin,
managed by Orange County Water District, and are estimated to cost
Orange County communities more than $1 billion over 30 years—a cost that
will likely increase.
WHEREAS, ratepayers are at risk from pending PFAS legislation and associated PFAS
costs, and water agencies and stakeholders must take action to inform
members of Congress of these devastating impacts.
WHEREAS, all PFAS-related legislation must exempt water and wastewater agencies
from any liability for PFAS cleanup costs.
WHEREAS, a water utility that complies with applicable and appropriate federal
management and treatment standards must not be responsible for current
and future costs associated with a PFAS cleanup.
WHEREAS, given the potential for federal legislation, such as the PFAS Action Act of
2021 (H.R. 2467), to expose water agencies that simply receive and treat
water supplies with across-the-board liability for PFAS-related cleanups
when they have no responsibility for the presence of PFAS, an explicit
exemption from Superfund clean-up liability must be made for water and
wastewater agencies.
WHEREAS, under existing law (Safe Drinking Water Act), the USEPA ensures that
public health benefits of new drinking water standards are reasonably
balanced with the compliance costs that water system ratepayers will
ultimately incur and eliminating this analysis would burden ratepayers of all
income levels with astronomical costs to comply with drinking water
standards.
WHEREAS, when setting drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, we advocate
for the USEPA to use this longstanding methodology.
Resolution No. 2021-44 Supporting Federal PFAS Legislation that Protects Ratepayers and Water/Wastewater Agencies
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the Yorba Linda
Water District hereby supports these federal PFAS policy principles to
protect water/wastewater agencies and their ratepayers; and
FURTHERMORE, calls upon the Orange County Congressional Delegation and
California Senatorial Delegation to cast votes implementing these public
policy positions.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 14th day of December, 2021 by the following called vote:
AYES:
Directors DesRoches, Hawkins, Jones, Lindsey, and Miller
NOES:
None
ABSTAIN:
None
ABSENT:
None
ATTEST:
nn
le Alexander, goard Secretary
Yorba Linda Water District
Reviewed as to form by General Counsel:
,
An rew B. Gagen, q.
Kidman Gagen Law LLP
�
J. Wayne Miller, PhD., President
Yorba Linda Water District
Resolution No. 2021-44 Supporting Federal PFAS Legislation that Protects Ratepayers and WaterNVastewater Agencies