The Environmental Protection Agency will use the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act “to tackle PFAS contamination,” it announced Tuesday in a press release.

“We can only make progress for communities suffering from PFAS pollution if we work collaboratively across levels of government and harness our collective resources and authority,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said. “Today, we are taking important steps toward developing new scientific approaches to confront these dangerous chemicals and strengthening the ability to clean up PFAS contamination.”

The action was in response to a petition from New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham (D) asking for PFAS to be declared as hazardous waste.

Regan said EPA will respond with two new rulemakings. One will review PFAS data to begin considering them as hazardous waste. The second would clarify that the “forever chemicals” are subject to corrective action under existing law.

EPA released a comprehensive PFAS Roadmap last week.

EPA photo of Administrator Regan and Gov. Grisham