Pesky Penalties

On April 30, the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) by a vote of 224–200. 

On April 14, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the PFAS OUT initiative to help water systems proactively tackle per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in drinking water. PFAS OUT is an outreach initiative that will connect water system managers with resources to better understand and tackle PFAS pollution ahead of upcoming regulatory deadlines. 

County officials spoke out at a Capitol Hill briefing about the delays and costs resulting from permitting challenges and the reforms they’d like to see passed by Congress.