VEC Monthly News Blog
April 2016 

PFOA in Groundwater 

In recent months Vermonters have been hearing about perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in groundwater.  This chemical has contaminated drinking water supplies in North Bennington and Pownal, Vermont as well as Hoosick Falls, New York.  Recently, Miles Waite, VEC President, was interviewed by WCAX News on the topic of PFOA, specifically how this chemical gets into the water. 



In the interview Miles touches on how PFOA migrates to the groundwater from atmospheric sources, its chemical properties, and how to remove it from the water.  While it has been known that PFOA is associated with Teflon products, many are unaware that it is also in many common consumer products like ski wax, scotch guard and even the lining of microwave popcorn bags. 



The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Groundwater Coordinating Committee has formed a PFOA advisory group to better understand the impacts of this chemical and how it should be regulated. Two member companies of Vermont Environmental Consortium, Waite-Heindel Environmental Management and The Johnson Company, have been asked to participate in this advisory group. As with other environmental issues such as Lake Champlain Water Quality and Urban Soils, the VEC will closely monitor this issue and offer guidance and support to the State regulators and interested parties.
 



VEC Board Members Govern and Lead
Miles Waite, VEC President,  Waite-Heindel Environmental Management, Exec. Comm.
Shaun Fielder, VEC Vice President,  Vermont Rural Water Association, Exec. Comm.
Melissa Levy, VEC Secretary,  Community Roots, Exec. Comm.
Tom Broido, VEC Treasurer,  ATC Group Services, Exec. Comm.
Jill Michaels,  Community Investments
Dan Voisin,  Stone Environmental
Joan Richmond-Hall, Ph.D.,  Vermont Technical College
Joseph Hayes,  Environmental Compliance Services
Curt Carter,  Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation
Geoff Hand,  Dunkiel Saunders Elliott Raubvogel & Hand
Peter Murray,  Geotech Environmental Equipment
Jack Byrne,  Middlebury College
Michael Stafford,  Staff Sterling Management
Susan McMahon,  Windham Regional Commission
Kurt Muller,  The Johnson Company
Ron Shems,  Diamond & Robinson, PC
William Scott Buckley,  ENPRO Services, Inc.
Martha Roy,  The Verterre Group/Subterra Locating Services
Jared Duval,  Vermont Department of Economic Development
Since 2000, VEC brings businesses, educational institutions and state and U.S. government officials together to make Vermont a leader in the green economy. VEC promotes growth and supports economic development in Vermont's environmental business sector through networking, information sharing and special projects.

Visit the VEC website