Slotkin Statement on New PFAS Cleanup Actions in Oscoda
LANSING, Mich. – U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-07) released the following statement following the Department of Defense’s (DoD) announcement that it will install two additional groundwater treatment systems in Oscoda, Michigan to address PFAS contamination.
“This announcement is a milestone moment for Oscoda and its surrounding communities, who have lived with PFAS contamination for far too long,” said Slotkin. “This is a big deal: the Department of Defense has agreed to two new systems to clean up PFAS in the area, in addition to the two systems they already announced back in August. I want to thank Under Secretary LaPlante for his personal engagement in letters, calls, and meetings, and for committing to address PFAS in a comprehensive way. I am also grateful for community advocates who never gave up, and for my colleagues in the Michigan delegation – especially Sen. Peters and Rep. Bergman – who have joined me on the Armed Services Committees in advocating strongly for the Department to live up to its responsibilities and clean up Oscoda. I will continue to urge the Pentagon to swiftly implement these measures and to address other instances of PFAS contamination at installations in Michigan and across the country.
“This is a landmark moment,” said Tony Spaniola of Need Our Water in Oscoda. “Congresswoman Slotkin and other members of Congress have joined with the community, the State of Michigan, the Biden Administration, and the Defense Department to bring about a major cleanup of the majestic Au Sable River watershed in Oscoda. There’s much more work to be done, but this effort should serve as a model to guide all future actions at Wurtsmith and other military installations across the country. We are deeply grateful to Congresswoman Slotkin for her leadership in this important, collaborative endeavor.
The news comes after the DoD’s announcement last August that it will install two new groundwater treatment systems at the site for the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The additional systems announced today represent an even larger investment by DoD than those announced in August, and were developed in close coordination with community experts.
Last August, Slotkin sent a letter to Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante urging the Department of Defense to implement additional remedial actions at four sites in the Oscoda area. With yesterday's announcement, all four sites where remediation was requested by Slotkin have received it.
Oscoda and other communities surrounding the now-closed Wurtsmith Air Force Base have been found to have groundwater containing PFAS levels far greater than those deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In the two most recent annual National Defense Authorization Acts for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, Slotkin led a number of provisions related to PFAS that were signed into law, including a measure requiring the DoD to publish results of drinking and ground water PFAS testing conducted on or near military installations or former defense sites and another facilitating the development of alternative gear for service members that is not laden with forever chemicals.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have been used for decades in everything from firefighting foam to food packaging and even textiles. Due to this widespread use, PFAS have been introduced to environments and waterways in Michigan, which has, according to a 2019 report, the highest number of PFAS-contaminated sites in the country. Because they are resistant to natural degradation processes, PFAS are harmful to humans and are often referred to as ‘forever chemicals.’