Alaska Attorney General Pushes EPA to Treat Mifepristone Like a Water Pollutant

Alaska’s top lawyer joins 13 other state attorneys and a group of Republican congressmen in asking the Environmental Protection Agency to label mifepristone as a contaminant that must be regulated in waterways. The drug is used with another medicine to end pregnancies. Studies say the method works safely and effectively. The group claims mifepristone threatens rivers, lakes and drinking water. Their letter lists states from Alabama to Texas. A separate letter from a New Jersey congressman and 18 other lawmakers echoes the same worries. Environmental scientists say there is no proof that tiny amounts of mifepristone in water harm people or wildlife. The Center for Biological Diversity points out that drug traces are normal and monitored by state agencies.

The letters reference a 1996 FDA statement that the drug would not cause environmental damage, though it may appear in water after people use or dispose of it. Experts note that many chemicals enter waterways and are checked for safety. In 2025, several states drafted bills that talk about medication abortion and water safety. They also want tests for mifepristone in local water supplies. Last year, the same group of lawmakers raised similar concerns to the EPA. The Supreme Court recently kept telehealth access to mifepristone open while a federal lawsuit is pending. Data from the Guttmacher Institute show that most abortions in states without bans were medication‑based last year.

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