Land Use Planning and PFAS Prevention
Preventing new PFAS contamination requires proactive land use planning tools that restrict siting of high-PFAS-risk facilities near sensitive receptors including drinking water sources, residential areas, and environmentally vulnerable zones.
Zoning Restrictions on PFAS Facilities
Several municipalities have adopted zoning ordinances restricting new PFAS-manufacturing or heavy PFAS-using facilities from locating within buffer distances of drinking water wells or water bodies. These land use controls complement permit-based regulatory approaches.
State Environmental Review Requirements
Environmental impact assessment requirements under state environmental review laws (analogs to NEPA) are being updated to require PFAS impact analysis for new industrial, military, and transportation facilities with PFAS use potential. California, New York, and Washington have expanded environmental review scope to include PFAS.
Community Right to Participate
Environmental justice advocates call for meaningful community participation in permitting decisions for PFAS-using facilities. Cumulative impact assessments and enhanced public comment opportunities give historically overburdened communities greater voice in preventing additional PFAS pollution sources in their neighborhoods.