“Brent Walls, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper, has become an expert  on the growing issue of PFAS – toxic “legacy” chemicals – which we are finding in more and more places. He has created a map which identifies monitoring locations where Maryland’s Department of the Environment (MDE) collected fish tissue samples from various species, oyster sampling and blue crab sampling and water samples. This map characterizes the magnitude of the PFAS levels in the water samples and also shows the locations of all fish consumption advisories for PFAS highlighted.The data used to display this map was collected solely by MDE and released in December of 2023. (And by the way, MDE has yet to create a map as comprehensive and visually appealing as Brent’s!) Maryland is one of 17 states that has issued fish consumption advisories, and we welcome this first step in understanding the PFAS exposure to communities in Maryland. However, we are still concerned that the rate of consumption of contaminated fish is too high. EPA is still in the process of developing risk analysis to set consumption advisories for PFAS, and we will continue to advocate for more protective standards. We also recognize that there needs to be a better notification system of these advisories, including for subsistence fishing populations. Brent and Betsy Nicholas, our VP of Programs, are working with Maryland to improve data collection, notification to the public, and remediation of PFAS pollution.”