Steven Cook, a Former Chemical Industry Lawyer, Now at E.P.A., Wants to Change PFAS Rules

Steven Cook, a former chemical industry lawyer, is now a senior official at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is seeking to rewrite a rule that requires companies to clean up "forever chemicals" known as PFAS. The proposed changes would shift the costs of cleanup from the polluters to the government and taxpayers. The rule in question, known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), currently holds companies responsible for the cleanup of PFAS contamination. However, Cook's proposed revisions would significantly weaken the regulation, making it more difficult for the EPA to compel companies to take responsibility for their pollution. Critics argue that the changes would protect the chemical industry at the expense of public health and the environment. Environmental groups and public health advocates have expressed concerns about the potential impact on communities affected by PFAS contamination.