Presidential Hopeful Michael Bennet To Address PFAS In Merrimack

MERRIMACK, NH — As part of his visit to the Granite State on Sunday, 2020 presidential candidate Michael Bennet is scheduled to attend a community conversation in Merrimack to address PFAS chemicals' contamination of local groundwater. The event is set to take place Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at the Merrimack Historical Society, located at 520 Boston Post Road. Earlier in the day, Bennet also plans to visit Nashua and Bow.

The toxic perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals have made local news in recent years after contamination was discovered near Merrimack's Saint-Gobain plant in 2016. The contamination affected not only Merrimack, but also groundwater in the neighboring communities including Bedford, Litchfield and Londonderry. Elevated levels of PFAS were also discovered in a well serving Portsmouth's Pease International Tradeport, causing that well to shut down.

On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu signed two bills banning the use of PFAS chemicals in carpets, furniture and firefighting foam. Sununu cited the chemicals' hazard to firefighters while signing the bills at the Hampton fire station.

New Hampshire has filed two lawsuits in May against chemical and fire-retardant companies, seeking damages for investigating, cleaning and monitoring PFAS in groundwater and natural resources. The N.H. Department of Environmental Services has also recently released strict new standards for PFAS levels in drinking water.

During his visit to New Hampshire on Sunday, Bennet will share his plan for protecting the environment and his newly released education plan, according to the Bennet for America campaign.

Bennet, a Democratic U.S. Senator from Denver, Colorado, also plans to visit Nashua and Bow earlier on Sunday. In Nashua, he plans to attend the Nashua Democratic City Committee Grassroots Campaign Kickoff Breakfast at 10:45 a.m. at City Moose Cafe, at 30 Temple St., Suite 202. In Bow, he is set to attend the Merrimack County First in the Nation Picnic at 3:30 p.m. at 25 One Stack Road in Bow.

For more information about Bennet, visit his campaign website.