In 2017, NHDES requested assistance from the U.S. EPA’s Office of Research and Development (EPA ORD) to conduct analyses of various samples for the potential existence of PFAS compounds. NHDES and EPA jointly developed two work plans for the sampling and analysis. Work Plan #1 guided the collection and analyses of samples of groundwater, surface Read More

Because the Merrimack School District was closed today due to the weather, this evening’s PFAS Public Comment Hearing will be held at the Merrimack Town Hall in the Matthew Thornton room at 5:30 PM.  Please help NHDES get the word out.   

NHDES has initiated the rulemaking authorized by legislation enacted in the 2018 legislative session to establish maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for four compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS). In support of this activity and the others listed below, NHDES has scheduled three public comment hearings Read More

New Information May Change NHDES Proposed PFAS Drinking Water Standards On December 31, 2018, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) initiated rulemaking to establish Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards (AGQS) for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic Read More

EPA Region 1 is hosting a Regional Press Conference to announce the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Action Plan Action Plan. The event will be at 11:00am tomorrow, Thursday, February 14, 2019 at the New England Regional Laboratory.  EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) Assistant Administrator – and former EPA New England Regional Read More

The Rule Making Notice/Initial Proposal packages for the amendments to Env-Dw 700-800, Env-Or 603.03, and Env-Wq 402 re: PFAS were filed with OLS today.  The RMNs should be in the Rulemaking Register published on Thursday, January 24, 2019.  The notices and initial proposals are available on-line at: https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/legal/rulemaking/index.htm#pdrinking https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/legal/rulemaking/index.htm#poil https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/legal/rulemaking/index.htm#pwaterq Public Hearing Dates: Monday, March Read More

This briefing report was prepared at the request of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and provides information on specific topics identified by the Department. Much of the information in this briefing was obtained from review of the public comment draft report, Toxicological Profile for Perfluoroalkyls prepared by the Agency for Toxic Substances Read More

The summary report on the NHDES development of the Maximum Contaminant Levels and Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) is available here: https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/publications/documents/r-wd-19-01.pdf The report provides the method by which NHDES derived the proposed Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards Read More

News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: January 2, 2019    CONTACT: Jim Martin, (603) 271-3710     NHDES Proposes New PFAS Drinking Water Standards Initiates Rulemaking for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS and PFNA Concord, NH – On December 31, 2018, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) initiated rulemaking Read More