(The Center Square) – Lawmakers are reviving a stalled effort to help the town of Chincoteague, Va., relocate its contaminated wells off NASA property and reduce long-term costs.
After a previous bill passed the U.S. Senate in December but failed in the U.S. House before the session ended, lawmakers from Virginia are again pushing for federal intervention to ease the financial burden of relocating Chincoteagues wells contaminated by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances.
“We’re proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to remove unnecessary burdens to allow the Town of Chincoteague and NASA to come to an agreement on the costs of relocating contaminated water wells,” said the members in a statement. “We will keep working together to get this across the finish line.”
PFAS, often referred to as ‘forever chemicals,’ fail to break down easily and have been linked to health risks like immune system damage and liver and kidney issues.
These chemicals were found in 2017 in the town’s drinking water wells located on NASA property, resulting in the wells being taken offline.
Since then, Chincoteague has relied on filtration systems to treat its drinking water and remove PFAS contamination. Although the water supply is within safe limits, these systems require ongoing maintenance and financial investment.
NASA, which operates the Wallops Flight Facility where the contaminated wells are located, installed a granular activated carbon treatment system in 2021 that treats millions of gallons of groundwater, but local officials and lawmakers say relocating the wells is a more permanent and cost-effective solution.
The Contaminated Wells Relocation Act authorizes NASA to negotiate a reimbursement agreement with the town for the costs of moving the wells to land owned or controlled by Chincoteague.
The agreement would last up to five years and requires NASA to submit a progress report within 18 months of the bill’s passage.
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed even stricter limits on PFAS levels in drinking water as part of a larger effort nationwide.
PFAS contamination has sparked federal action in communities nationwide, increasing pressure for more long-term solutions.