The RV Industry Association (RVIA) has joined more than two dozen manufacturing and business organizations in formally requesting a one-year extension of Minnesota’s new per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances reporting deadline, citing unresolved technical problems with the state’s reporting system that could prevent compliance.
In a letter sent Friday, January 16, to the commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, RVIA and industry partners asked that the PFAS reporting deadline, currently set for July 1, be postponed to allow additional time for system readiness and regulatory alignment.
The request follows the January 1, effective date of Minnesota’s PFAS Reporting Rule, which requires manufacturers to disclose detailed information on intentionally added PFAS in products sold in the state.
The Minnesota rule starts the compliance clock for manufacturers to submit chemical composition data through the agency’s PRISM reporting platform.
For producers of complex products such as recreational vehicles, the reporting obligation could involve tracking potentially thousands of individual components, including seating materials, rugs, seals, gaskets and O-rings.
According to a News and Insights report of RVIA on January 27, the association was joined in the request by organizations including the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the Complex Products Manufacturers Coalition, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Retailers Association.
Concerns intensified after the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency conducted a soft launch of the PRISM reporting system in mid-December, granting limited access to a small group of testers.
According to the letter, participants identified numerous system errors, technical problems and inconsistencies with regulatory requirements.
As of mid-January, the PRISM platform has not been fully released, leaving manufacturers without the ability to prepare or submit reports.
“Overall, we are concerned that the soft launch period was rushed, is insufficient, and exposes regulated entities to a heightened enforcement risk directly as a result of the problems with the reporting system,” the letter states. “The PRISM reporting system is not ready to support the intake of our reports.”
RVIA said it continues to work with Minnesota officials to ensure members can continue selling recreational vehicles in the state while complying with the new requirements.
In November, the association met with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency representatives at Winnebago Industries’ headquarters in Eden Prairie to discuss concerns about the reporting program, including the level of detail required and the due diligence standard for collecting PFAS data across supply chains.
In closing, the industry coalition urged the agency to delay both the reporting period and the implementation of the PRISM tool.
“Additional time is necessary for the reporting system, guidance, and expectations to better align with real-world product information and supply chains,” the letter states, adding that manufacturers are willing to continue testing the system and providing feedback before full implementation.