El Paso County (CO) near Peterson Air Force Base. The military services no longer use PFAS-based firefighting foam in land-based training and, when it is used in emergencies, the site is treated as an environmental cleanup zone after, McMahon said. Ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan January 1, 1994 View Plate View Document A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. The primary source of PFAS at military installations is aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, firefighting foam developed by the Defense Department in the 1960s and first required by the Navy and the Marine Corps in 1967. These are simply the specific bases attorneys working with ClassAction.org are looking into. Fifty years ago, there were only a handful of Hawaiian language speakers. EWG is pressing lawmakers to include all of the PFAS amendments in the bill Congress sends to President Trump for his consideration. McMahon said the task force has generated 40 recommendations and goals, from short-term fixes to long-term solutions to address PFAS-related issues. Everything you need to know about forever chemicals detected in air, water, soils, sediments and rain. PFAS are man-made chemicals used in products worldwide since the 1950s, including firefighting foam, non . To date, the Air Force has sampled more than 500 drinking water wells for PFAS and installed 220 whole-house drinking water treatment systems on affected wells on and around the former base. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are now investigating potential lawsuits on behalf of individuals who lived on military bases and were diagnosed with any of the following: Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are particularly interested in speaking with people who lived on the following bases, which are believed to have had their water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: A map of the base locations listed above can be viewed below. They are used in a huge range of consumer products, including waterproof clothing, furniture, cookware, electronics, food packaging and firefighting foams and are employed in a wide array of industrial processes. For decades, day-to-day military operations have contaminated the water at bases across the country, including the now-defunct George Air Force Base in Victorville, Calif. Briana Smith/News21 Reading Time: 12 minutes This report is part of a project on drinking water contamination in the United States produced by the Carnegie-Knight News21 program. I dont think any of us vets will still be here when they finally do something.. This is because individuals who have fallen ill as a result of PFAS exposure have suffered significant harm that warrants the cost and time associated with filing an individual lawsuit. For example, commercial airports and industrial sites also use the foam, which could impact a municipalitys drinking water, but it will be up to that municipality to determine if it will test and make fixes to comply with the EPAs guidelines, Sullivan said. These chemicals cause a variety of really, really dangerous health effects. Americans are exposed to dozens of PFAS every day. Though AFFF is effective, it has led to widespread contamination around bases and airports, and Congress just mandated the military check for PFAS pollution at 700 facilities while earmarking $571m for cleanup, though observers say the cost will likely be much higher. EWG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, EIN 52-2148600. Aside from chemicals manufacturing plants, any site that has regularly used PFOS-laden aqueous film-forming firefighting foams, such as airfields, military bases and firefighting training grounds, could in theory contaminate soils, air and water in the vicinity. Congress must do more to accelerate the cleanup of legacy PFAS contamination. Service members who work at these facilities and the people who live nearby are likely drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals at concentrations that raise serious health concerns. Both were eventually banned or had their uses restricted under various European and international laws, but being forever chemicals, they have not gone away. Other sources include landfills, paper mills, wastewater treatment works, land spread with sewage sludge, runoff from urban areas, industries that involve textile waterproofing, metal finishing and plating, carpet and furniture production, paint, refrigerators and cleaning products. "Since 2016, the drinking water for Okinawans has been contaminated with forever chemicals. They now fall under the authority of the Army and are referred to as Joint Base Lewis-McChord. For the past seven years, Mitchell has been investigating increased PFAS levels near Kadena Air Base, a key military hub in the Asia-Pacific. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is located in Iosco County, Michigan. PFAS are a class of about 9,000 chemicals used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. He or she will also gather medical documents related to the condition you are alleging stemmed from your PFAS exposure. To do so, Congress should increase funding for programs like the Defense Environmental Restoration Program and designate PFAS as hazardous substances under the Superfund toxic cleanup law. Now we just have to step up and do the right thing.. Benzene levels found in groundwater ranged from 197 to 1,000 parts per billion, far exceeding theEPAmaximum contaminant level standard of 5 parts per billion in drinking water. 2, which includesOscoda County, applauded the new ATSDR conclusions. Until recently, PFAS contaminated the drinking water of scores of military bases, and many communities near these installations continue to drink contaminated water. Dozens of drinking water wells in Security, Widefield and Fountain are contaminated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The mission of the base is to train and equip soldiers for close air support of ground troops in an arctic environment (Eielson AFB, 2005). PFAS biomagnify up food chains too, supplying apex predators such as orcas with hefty doses at mealtimes. Denise Bryan, health officer with District Health Department No. . PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, its an umbrella term for a family of thousands of chemicals about 12,000 at the last count that are prized for their indestructible and non-stick properties. Luke Air Force Base said in February that studies showed high levels of contaminants had affected drinking water for about 6,000 people in roughly 1,600 homes plus several neighboring businesses. Wurtsmith veterans, or their family members, who have questions about potential exposures to TCE and benzene in base drinking water in the 1970s can call District Health Department No. Public interest science has only just begun to wrap its head around PFOS and PFOA, decades after they were first produced, and so there is little chance it will ever catch up with manufacturers, who can tweak an existing molecule, rename it, and have it on the market in a fraction of the time it takes to establish a body of evidence to demonstrate whether or not it needs regulating. PFAS chemicals are linked to birth defects, infertility, developmental delays and some cancers. At those locations it has installed filters at the water source or inside base housing, relocated water usage to another well, or provided alternate drinking water, such as water bottles, for personnel, Sullivan said. Based on the exposure levels and estimated durations, ATSDR now concludes that some children and adults who used TCE-contaminated water for drinking, showering and bathing, or for drinking only, on the base and in surrounding areas, may be at risk for: Heart malformations, including increased risk of fetal heart malformations for pregnant women. In 2003-04, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the U.S. Air Force, conducted an investigation to determine the age of ground water in the shallow, contaminated part of the aquifer and in the deep production zone beneath the Base. Arvos health problems since his service at the base include breast tumors, which are relatively unusual in men; kidney surgeries; severe headaches, a degenerative brain condition and a recent diagnosis of cancer of the spine. I do think its great that the ATSDR did this, saidRoger Arvo, aBeavertonresident who was aU.S. Air Forcesergeant on the Wurtsmith base from 1974 to 1977. While the EPA did not make the guidelines enforceable, DoD decided to test all of its locations and work toward complying with the new standards. Further, it has been established that PFAS can pass through breast milk and cross the placenta from mother to fetus during pregnancy. March 1, 2023. These forever chemicals pollute water, dont break down, and remain in the environment and people for decades. OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) - A community is looking for answers after dealing with contaminated water for nearly two years. Veterans stationed at these bases may have been exposed to a number of toxic substances through contaminated water, which may have led to serious health effects. Once your attorney has enough information to move forward with a case, he or she will draft a document known as a complaint that outlines the company or companies you are suing, how you were exposed to PFAS, the medical condition that developed as a result of the exposure and the monetary damages you are seeking. In January, Okinawa Prefecture announced that waterways around Kadena Air Base were currently contaminated with PFOS; in 2008, levels in an on-base well had measured as high as 1870 ng/L. "This is a national issue, and it has to have a national solution. Along with the details of your situation, if possible please include when you lived at/near each military base. ABSTRACT. Originally from Guam, she spent more than 30 years at KITV, covering beats from government to education. The more than 5,000-acre former Wurtsmith base began operations as an airfield for military aircraft in 1923. The Air Force first started testing water in the area nearly two years ago as Luke Air Force's water supply showed high levels of contaminants. The sprawling installation is home to much of the 2nd Infantry Division, the 7th Infantry Division and the 1st Special Forces Group. The Air Force has numerous initiatives ongoing towards protecting people from exposure to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water at levels above EPA's lifetime health advisories. Flint, Michigan is no longer the only American city synonymous with contaminated drinking . No. "This is an integral part of taking care of our people. A system that breaks down so-called forever chemicals with extreme heat and pressure will be tested at two US Air Force bases and a Navy base, The 3D molecular structure of perfluorobutanoic acid, a type of PFAS forever chemicalShutterstock/Sergei Shimanovich, The 3D molecular structure of perfluorobutanoic acid, a type of PFAS forever chemical. Base officials declined to be interviewed, but stated the Robin's drinking water was safe. Thats why most PFAS health scandals in the US and Europe have been related to contaminated drinking water supplies. He declined to provide specifics, saying he has not shown Esper the group's list. Newly obtained DoD data provides updated details about PFAS contamination at the previously known sites. In 2001, a Defense Department memo concluded that the main ingredient in AFFF was persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic.. For decades, military bases used a type of firefighting foam, known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), to put out fires in training exercises. Catherine Cruz is the host of The Conversation. In all, 25 Army bases; 50 Air Force bases, 49 Navy or Marine Corps bases and two Defense Logistics Agency sites have tested at higher than acceptable levels for the compounds in either their drinking water or groundwater sources. Dangerous levels of toxic PFAS are contaminating water supplies in areas around at least 12 military bases, new Department of Defense testing has revealed, drawing concern from public health advocates that the DoD is not doing enough to protect the public. Suite 1000 The U.S. Air Force (USAF) opened Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts in 1942. But to fall foul of the worst effects of PFOS or PFOA, you would need to be exposed for a sustained period of time to pretty high concentrations of the substances. More than 700 military sites are suspected or known to have been contaminated with PFAS; the Environmental Working Group keeps an updated map of these sites here. What is the Venus-Jupiter conjunction and how can you view it? It also is tasked with finding a PFAS-free firefighting foam or funding the development of one. Meanwhile, levels for three other PFAS compounds that the department tested for topped 1,150 ppt, and though no federal standard for those compounds exists, many exceeded limits some states have set. So-called forever chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, can be found in fire-retardent materials and firefighting foam. We work closely with class action and mass tort attorneys across the country and help with investigations into corporate wrongdoing. Until then, DoD won't know the true extent of the water contamination, or the . Ongoing activities by EGLE to ensure the community around Wurtsmith is provided safe drinking water. Continued monitoring of residential wells by EGLE in areas that are known to be, or could be, affected by Wurtsmith contamination. Two low-cost innovative sampling procedures for characterizing trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in ground water were evaluated for use at McChord Air Force Base (AFB) by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force McChord Air Force Base Installation Restoration Program, in 2001. The U.S. Air Force says it will be distributing bottled water to thousands of residents and business owners near its base in suburban Phoenix until at least April, marking the latest case. Each base should have its water information posted, Sullivan said. DoD has already spent $200 million studying and testing its water supply, and also providing either filters, alternate wells or bottled water to address contamination. Click on a marker for base information. Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presents an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby majority-Black community and demanding cuts in toxic emissions. Cancers, Thyroid Problems Caused by PFOS and PFOA, List of Military Bases with Contaminated Water, hardly ever break down in the environment. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals used since the 1940s that can be toxic to humans at very , To continue reading, subscribe Compounds detected in the drinking water at both locations included the two most notorious PFAS chemicals PFOA, once used to make DuPonts Teflon, and PFOS, formerly an ingredient in 3Ms Scotchgard. *Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues. He insisted, however, that no military personnel or family members whose drinking water comes from Defense Department-managed water sources are consuming levels of PFAS higher than the lifetime health advisory limit. The potential harm is not limited to fish, but the Tests Find High Levels of Toxic Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water at McChord AFB, Ft. Lewis, Roses are red, candy is sweet, avoid these additives in your Valentines Day treat, This Valentines Day, give the gift of fragrance without the danger of toxic chemicals, Wildlife warning: More than 330 species contaminated with forever chemicals, Forever chemicals in freshwater fish: Mapping a growing environmental justice problem. AnAir Forcespokesman did not immediately respond to aFree Pressmessage seeking comment Thursday. But he promised that the task force's goals would focus on health concerns, funding and methodology for cleanup and finding new solutions for fighting fires on military installations and ships. 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