State environmental officials are inviting the public to weigh in on how New York addresses PFAS contamination through a new series of virtual meetings starting later this month.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced the webinar series Wednesday, saying the sessions will focus on ongoing efforts to protect communities from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.
The meetings will cover several topics, including a PFAS rural background study, treatment of landfill leachate, wastewater treatment guidance, sampling of PFAS in biosolids, and drinking water cleanup policy. The initiative ties into priorities outlined in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State.
“Public input is critical to the success of the State’s ongoing progress, and we encourage New Yorkers to participate in upcoming opportunities to help guide these important efforts forward,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said.
As part of the State of the State agenda, DEC is developing draft regulations that would require landfills to treat leachate for harmful contaminants at the source before it is discharged. State officials say treating leachate at the source would better protect drinking water, reduce environmental harm, and save taxpayers money on future cleanup costs.
Two virtual information sessions focused specifically on the landfill leachate proposal are scheduled for Jan. 27 and Feb. 11. Another public information session, held in cooperation with the state Department of Health, is set for Jan. 29 and will review a decade of progress on PFAS and outline recent state actions.
DEC will also host a separate webinar on Feb. 4 to explain the rulemaking process for regulating PFAS in recycled biosolids and long-term standards for biosolids-derived soil amendments.
State officials said the webinars are part of a broader push launched in December, when DEC released new studies, guidance, and policy proposals related to PFAS contamination and created a centralized online resource at dec.ny.gov/pfas.
Registration is required for each virtual meeting. Language interpretation services, including American Sign Language, will be available at no cost for participants who request them in advance.
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