A new position in the Department of Defense may open with the goal of addressing PFAS chemicals contamination in communities near U.S. military sites.
U.S. Reps. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., have introduced bipartisan legislation that would establish the Coordinator for PFAS-Impacted Defense Engagement to ensure accountability, transparency, and clean up efforts are enacted by the DOD.
“Hundreds of military sites in the United States have been contaminated by PFAS, yet complaints from impacted communities have fallen on deaf ears at the Department of Defense (DoD),” said Kildee. “By designating a coordinator for engagement with PFAS-impacted defense communities at the DoD, our legislation would ensure that the voices of communities directly impacted by PFAS contamination are heard at the highest levels of government.”
PFAS, or Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of industrial chemicals, commonly used in manufacturing to make heat resistant, water repellent, and non-stick products. Historically used in military firefighting foam, PFAS have contaminated water and soil in many communities near military sites.
Adverse effects of prolonged PFAS exposure can include liver disease, kidney and testicular cancers, lower antibody response to vaccines, high cholesterol, low birth weight, and hypertension during pregnancy.
Under the legislation, the PFAS coordinator would connect with state and local governments, communities, individual citizens, and advocacy organizations within current and former defense communities impacted by PFAS contamination; act as the liaison between the communities and the DOD; and drive progress in PFAS cleanup and remediation projects.
“PFAS contamination is one of the most serious and far-reaching public health crises of our time, and alongside Congressman Kildee, tackling it has been at the heart of our work in Congress,” said Fitzpatrick. “Our bipartisan legislation demands decisive action and transparency from the Department of Defense, ensuring that impacted communities are no longer ignored or left in the dark.”
