Residents and servicemembers are now taking action for the harm they suffered, so read on for more about the link between military bases and water contamination, as well as whats involved in filing a lawsuit. The National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020 included important bipartisan reforms, including a provision to phase out AFFF by 2024. 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. This means you only pay if they win your case. . PFAS contaminate the blood of every American and have been linked to serious health problems, including cancer and harm to the reproductive and immune systems. When you work with veterans, they and their families have made the ultimate sacrifices for our country. Today, Teflon-like compounds called PFAS are found in the blood of almost all Americans. In mid-September the DOD released shocking new figures that identify the scale of PFAS contamination in 95 installations from 35 states and Puerto Rico. For the past seven years, Mitchell has been investigating increased PFAS levels near Kadena Air Base, a key military hub in the Asia-Pacific. TheU.S. Environmental Protection Agencysmaximum contaminant level for TCE in drinking water, above which long-term exposure could be expected to harm health, is 5 parts per billion. 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. It operated throughout World War II and became a permanent installation in 1951, designated by theAir Forceas a fighter-interceptor training base for theU.S.Air Defense Command. It's 450,000 people. For the groundwater sources, both on-base and off-base, however, cleanup will take years to address, Sullivan said. After 1970, the drinking water on the base became contaminated with PFAS, a group of dangerous chemicals that can be found in aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF. DuPonts Teflon changed our lives, but also polluted our bodies. 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. In the early 1980s, the Air Force conducted its own animal studies on AFFF, and in the early 2000s, the maker of the fluorinated chemical PFOS, the main ingredient in AFFF, exited the market. It is not known whether wells near those sites have been contaminated. They deserve answers, she said. ATSDRs reevaluation of its 2001 findings came after Wurtsmith veterans and concerned citizens asked the agency to draw new health-based conclusions that reflect the latest science, the agencys report states. 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. 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. Theres a hint in the shorthand for the properties of some PFAS, which is PBT: persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. Levels of PFOS in groundwater around Whidbey Island NAS near Seattle in the Puget Sound topped 4,700 ppt, while eight sites exceeded the EPAs advisory levels. Toxic chemicals contaminate Cape Cod drinking water amid reports of seemingly inexplicable illnesses. In 2001, a Defense Department memo concluded that the main ingredient in AFFF was persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic.. 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. A specialized substance designed to extinguish fires caused by petroleum and other flammable liquids, AFFF is known to contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of toxic chemicals. ATSDRs new conclusions need to trigger a presumptive service connection, Arvo said aVeterans Administrationdetermination that certain disabilities were caused by military service, for which veterans can be awarded disability compensation. Toxic Forever Chemicals: What Are PFAS? The number of active and former U.S. military installations found to be contaminated with chemical compounds found in firefighting foam is expected to rise as a Defense Department task force investigates the scope of the problem, the group's chairman said Thursday. These forever chemicals pollute water, dont break down, and remain in the environment and people for decades. He was 101. 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. Hawaii Public Radio | In 2001, ATSDRs look at Wurtsmith concluded that past exposures to groundwater may have posed an increased risk of developing adverse health effects, but that it was unknown whether the (volatile organic compounds) concentrations persisted at high enough levels for long enough durations to actually pose a public health hazard.. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (DMAFB) is located within the Tucson basin, a northwest trending alluvial valley. The concentration of PFAS chemicals for McChord was 303 ppt and for Fort Lewis, 144.8 ppt. Next Steps We have 1,500 people who have been tested with elevated levels in the Portsmouth area, who are anxious about their future and their childrens future. Thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism), Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland, Randolph, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis, Texas, Seymour Johnson Air Force base, North Carolina, Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan, Past and future medical expenses, including prescription costs, surgery, medical treatments and doctors visits, Loss of marital benefits (care, comfort, sex, etc. Originally from Guam, she spent more than 30 years at KITV, covering beats from government to education. For more information on the Air Force's response to Reese visit: https://www.afcec.af.mil/Home/BRAC/Reese.aspx. Explore the latest news, articles and features, This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original, Island-hopping cougars swim kilometres through icy water off US coast, Were starting to understand how viruses trigger chronic conditions. The Base served as a Strategic Air Command facility from the mid-1950's into the early 1980's when its mission shifted to USAF Reserve. In 1997, the base, amid redevelopment, connected to. Families with any concerns should be able to go to the bases restoration program manager an on-site point person tasked with addressing environmental cleanup issues with their questions. Most PFAS are so well designed and robust that they wont break down in the environment for tens of thousands of years, earning them the moniker forever chemicals. These forever chemicals pollute water, dont break down, and remain in the environment and people for decades. If your base is not on the map or list above, this does not mean you were not exposed to PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam. He declined to provide specifics, saying he has not shown Esper the group's list. For instance, your attorney may allege that the companies: Once your attorney files the complaint with the court, your lawsuit officially begins. In a successful case, you may be able to receive compensation for the following: In most cases, your lawsuit would be filed against the company that manufactured the firefighting foam believed to be the source of your PFAS exposure; you would not be suing the U.S. military. Their payment will come as a percentage of your settlement or jury award. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are handling these cases on a contingency-fee basis. The US military is testing amethod of destroying compounds known as forever chemicals by mixing water and hot air under pressure. But the NDAA fell short of whats needed to address the serious public health risks posed by PFAS, especially PFOS and its close chemical cousin PFOA. This interview has been adapted for the web by HPR's Sophia McCullough. Maureen Sullivan, deputy assistant secretary of defense for environment, safety and occupational health, said DoD has already made safety changes at affected bases, including installing filters and providing bottled water to families living there. 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. Later groundwater testing revealed volatile organic and other hazardous compounds in eight contaminated plumes at the military base. Drinking water laced with high levels of poisonous chemicals may be to blame for cancer and other chronic disease among veterans and families who lived at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northern Michigan, according to a new federal health report draft. SECURITY - A multi-million dollar lawsuit has been filed against the federal government because of groundwater contamination from the use of firefighting foam at Peterson Air Force Base. Negotiators from the House and Senate are hammering out a final version of the defense spending bill. The focus area for sampling was approximately a three (3) miles radius surrounding the Base property boundary within which 13 community water systems were sampled. 0:00. Fifty years ago, there were only a handful of Hawaiian language speakers. For Wurtsmith veterans who have long contended their health problems were likely tied to their toxic exposures on the base, the new findings provide some validation. The OU 1 plant treated the highest levels of groundwater contamination, what was then a so-called "hot spot," an area that initially . The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. But Faber said the military has known about the threat for decades, and they are only alerting neighbors because Congress ordered them to do so. OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) - A community is looking for answers after dealing with contaminated water for nearly two years. Robins Air Force Base: The Air Force tested 30 locations on the base and found contamination in 62 out of 77 groundwater samples, as well as some surface water samples, according to a site . Creators of Skin Deep Database Tapwater Database EWG Verified Search. The agency made presumptions about how long different groups of people may have been exposed to the tainted water supply, using conservative estimates and other governmental data: veterans for five years; off-base but nearby children from birth to age 21, and nearby adults for 33 years, and on-base employees for 25 years. Think its great that the ATSDR did this, saidRoger Arvo, aBeavertonresident was... 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