The "Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act of 2026" establishes a comprehensive framework to address perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by phasing out their nonessential uses and prohibiting environmental releases. The bill defines an essential use as critical for societal health, safety, or functioning, necessary for an item or process, and lacking a safer alternative. Conversely, a nonessential use is any use not designated as essential, driving the core of the phaseout strategy. A key provision involves an agreement with the National Academies to review scientific evidence, define essential uses, and prioritize the phaseout of nonessential PFAS uses. This independent body will provide guidance and recommendations, including identifying research gaps and developing strategies for transitioning away from PFAS. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will use these findings to designate essential and nonessential uses, with a petition process available for stakeholders. The bill mandates an annual monitoring and reporting program for all PFAS manufacturers and users, requiring detailed information on their uses, volumes, environmental releases, and safer alternatives. This data will inform a nationwide phaseout, which generally requires manufacturers and users to eliminate nonessential PFAS uses within 10 years of the Act's enactment. Specific products, such as carpets, food packaging, cosmetics, and certain apparel, face accelerated phaseout timelines ranging from one to five years. A critical component is the prohibition of any detectable release of PFAS into the environment by manufacturers or users, effective 10 years after enactment. The EPA is tasked with establishing a schedule for this release phaseout and validating detection methods. The bill also outlines a national policy prioritizing the remediation and destruction of PFAS contamination, the elimination of PFAS in consumer products, and the replacement of essential uses with safer alternatives. Federal agencies are directed to eliminate the procurement of products containing PFAS to the maximum extent practicable. The EPA is granted broad enforcement authority, including issuing compliance orders, assessing civil penalties that remove economic benefits from violations, and pursuing criminal penalties for reckless violations. The legislation also allows for citizen suits against violators and the Administrator for failure to perform non-discretionary duties. In cases of imminent and unreasonable risk to public health or the environment, the Administrator can issue orders to restrain use or require corrective action, mandating immediate public notice to affected communities. Federal agencies are made subject to all federal, state, and local laws regulating PFAS, with a waiver of federal immunity, though the President can grant national security exemptions. To support research and development, the bill establishes Centers of Excellence for assessing PFAS in water sources and developing remediation solutions. These centers, including a rural center, will focus on detection capabilities, evaluating removal and destruction technologies, and providing open access to research findings. Funding for these initiatives and the administrative costs of the phaseout program will be supported by authorized appropriations and fees collected from manufacturers and users for annual reports and essential use petitions. Finally, the bill amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to address statutes of limitations and repose for damages from hazardous substance exposure, ensuring that the commencement date for such actions aligns with when a plaintiff knew or should have known of the injury. It also adds a special bankruptcy provision to CERCLA, clarifying that the filing of a petition does not automatically stay actions against non-debtor entities for claims related to persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals, including PFAS.