DOD Contamination
The Department of Defense (DOD) has identified 678 military sites where PFAS “Forever Chemicals” are contaminating groundwater or drinking water. Environmental Working Group (EWG) has independently identified 703 military sites with known or suspected PFAS Discharges. They have confirmed and mapped PFAS in the tap or groundwater at 328 of the military installations. Those familiar with the water contamination at Marine Corps Base Lejeune know that PFAS are not the only contaminants of concern at many DOD installations. We are working with Veterans, civilians, and families suffering from blood cancers and other serious health conditions likely related to the contaminants of concern commonly found—a list that includes multiple known human carcinogens.
All eight of the PFAS commonly found on military sites are known to associated with serious health conditions, including immunotoxicity, developmental and reproductive toxicity, increases in cholesterol, alterations in hormone levels, and increased cancer risk. Despite the risks, of 50 Air Force and Navy bases with some of the highest levels of PFAS contamination, only 9 have cleanup plans developed under the Superfund law. And despite the known harms to human health and decades of exposure at many sites; most Veterans are still unable to get benefits from service connection. This is not to mention that the impacted families and civilians are entirely left behind after being exposed—even while they also suffer the dire and potentially deadly consequences from their exposure.
Credit 2021 Environmental Working Group
We support the Clean Water for Military Families Act.
The Clean Water for Military Families Act requires DOD to investigate and remediate PFAS contamination on and surrounding DOD installations in the US and state-owned National Guard facilities. The bill authorizes a one-time $10B for this work and clean-up to ensure military families have access to clean water.
We support the Filthy Fifty Act.
The Filthy Fifty Act would help expedite the testing, cleanup, removal, and remediation of PFAS at all US military installations and State-owned National Guard facilities by setting testing and cleanup deadlines for PFAS remediation at the most contaminated DOD sites in the country, including 50 “priority installations” in the US that have among the highest detections of PFAS.
We stand with those who are impacted by DOD contamination.
Poisoned in service to our country, hundreds of Veterans who served at Fort Ord former US Army base are suffering from cancers and other serious illnesses. We are working to raise awareness and seeking fairness for those impacted through legislative action. Will you stand with Fort Ord families?