EPA records show in May of 2004, a "key authority" declined to participate in PFOA research along the Conasauga. Dalton Utilities President Don Cope told the Chattanooga Free Press he believed Dalton Utilities is that "key authority."
That month, the Carpet and Rug Institute's board of directors also issued a memo containing their position on PFOA: "The unanimous position of the carpet industry is that it would be premature to commence PFOA environmental monitoring at this time." The group's president, Werner Braun says without guidance from regulators like the EPA, monitoring PFOA levels in the Conasauga River would just create "anxiety."
"If indeed the EPA will promulgate such a number, we would be happy to participate in environmental monitoring studies. But in the absence of that, we feel it just creates unnecessary anxiety in the public."
The EPA has never monitored the Conasauga for PFOA. A spokesman told GPB they never knew about PFOA contamination in the Conasauga until recent reports. Yet, EPA documents show there was discussion in the agency about monitoring the river as early as 2004. It's an extremely nuanced position.
Professor David Michaels is critical. He says in many cases, inaction by EPA administration is intentional to protect industry. It's a pattern he traces back to the tobacco industry.
"This has been going on for many years. Industry comes in, they bring their hired scientists and powerful attorneys, and say we don't want this regulation, we want something that's weaker, and they often get that, or they get no regulation at all. They know how the system works, they know how to slow it down, so their sponsors can say, look there's no regulation or there's only weak regulation so we're not breaking any laws."
Michaels says the EPA is often put under immense political pressure not to act.
CRI President Werner Braun says the suggestion the carpet industry is stifling research is categorically untrue.
"This carpet and rug industry is the most environmentally sensitive industry I have ever worked with. And by the way, you mentioned studies…One of the things that's important to realize is animal studies can only take you so far."
Animal studies are limited. Yet, there have been two studies linking high amounts of PFOA exposure to increased rates of cancer in humans. Several years ago, West Virginia state officials drafted a study showing significant increases of prostate cancer in areas with high concentrations of PFOA in the water. And just this month in Minnesota, a study was released publicly, linking PFOA exposure among chemical workers to increased rates of prostate cancer and stroke.
