What are the next steps in California’s regulatory process for perchlorate?
Following a mandatory five-year review mandated by state law, California proposed revising its Public Health Goal (PHG) for perchlorate from 6 parts per billion (ppb) to 1 ppb. Because the state’s rationale for the change is based on questionable scientific assumptions, the proposal is currently undergoing scientific peer review. It is unclear what the state’s obligations are if the peer review does not support the conclusions. If California decides to move forward in any case, there will be a regulatory process wherein the state must decide whether to change the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for perchlorate. The MCL is synonymous with the state standard. Revising and establishing a new MCL would require a public process expected to last 18 months to three years.
