City officials in Dayton, Ohio, have also found the response from the Air Force to cleanup contamination at Wright Patterson Air Force Base to be inadequate.

In 2018, the DoD examined 524 installations for two of the most prevalent PFAS chemicals in AFFF, perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, and perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and found 401 locations with some level of contamination.Twenty-four of those locations had drinking water. Scientists first discovered toxic PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force base in Oscoda, Michigan, over two decades ago.1 From the 1970s until at least the base's closure in 1993, the Air Force sprayed PFAS-laden AFFF at Wurtsmith during training exercises to extinguish fires, and regularly disposed of spent AFFF in grassy But Air Force officials already have said they don't believe state water pollution rules apply to the contamination stemming from Wurtsmith, where they call the shots . Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda Township, Mich. U.S. Department of Defense In Oscoda, authorities tracked the contamination of Van Etten Lake to Wurtsmith Air Force Base, which closed in 1993. The 1,200-acre base closed in 2011, following a 2005 recommendation by the federal Base Realignment and Closure Committee to cease operations of everything but the Air Force Reserve Base at Willow . In March, 2018 the DOD released a report, Addressing Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluotooctanoic Acid (PFOA) that identified contaminated water in and around military bases across the country as a result of using aqueous film-forming foam in routine fire-fighting exercises. The base is located in Oscoda, Iosco County, Michigan. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. TCE was found in Wurtsmith water in 1977, but the report notes the drinking water wells on base "could have (been) contaminated for many. 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. The Air Force and state of Michigan on Monday jointly announced the plan to address contamination from the Wurtsmith base in Oscoda. "PFAS and other chemicals that were originally thought to be safe were used at Wurtsmith for 20 years prior to the base's closure," Leriche said. The investigation was prompted by the discovery that an underground storage tank containing trichloroethylene (TCE) had leaked, contaminating Base water-supply wells. ATSDR evaluated these exposures in the past [ATSDR 2001].This document updates the previous evaluation to reflect important changes in science and exposure Wurtsmith AFB was active during World War II, Vietnam War, and Persian Gulf War, providing fighter jet and missile training. Before its closure in 1993, Wurtsmith had many roles to include a strategic bomber wing housing B-52s, and like any other base with a flying mission, it trained Air Force firefighters to . Formulated by 3M specifically for the military, the firefighter foam's active ingredients are Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS for short and pronounced 'pea-foss'), Perfluorooctanoic Acid . Henry began working at Wurtsmith in . Contamination has been leaking into groundwater around the Air Force base and areas all around Oscoda, including Lake Huron. Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. Wurtsmith veterans, or their family members, who have questions about potential exposures to TCE and benzene in base drinking water in the 1970s can call District Health Department No. OSCODA, MI Mark Henry and Bob Delaney know a thing or two about how pollution is moving through the soil and water at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Region 5 Contact Mark Johnson, Ph.D. By that time, Wurtsmith had already closed. Introduction of PFAS/AFFF to Wurtsmith Air Force Base Groundwater Contamination 1970-1997 Wurtsmith Air Force Base firefighter foam groundwater contamination began in the early 1970s when Aqueous Film Forming Foam (abbreviated AFFF and pronounced 'a-triple-eff') first became available. Now, little is left but empty airfields and crumbling buildings. Sen. Gary Peters is upset the U.S. Air Force says it's using $13.5 million allocated for cleaning up drinking water contaminants at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda to do further . Click on a marker for base information. In April, Peters hosted Air Force Assistant Secretary John Henderson in Oscoda and pressed the Air Force to do more to cleanup PFAS contamination in areas surrounding the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base.

The visit came at the request of Peters who had called on the Air Force to work with the state of Michigan on clean-up efforts. A number of contaminants were discovered at this location, and the base has been undergoing environmental cleanup in recent years. August 18th, 2020 Read More Regional Director (312) 353-3436 (312) 886-6066 - FAX mkj5@cdc.gov (Garret Ellison | MLive) On January 18, 1994 it was listed as a Superfund due to extensive groundwater contamination with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, including . The Michigan Department of Environment . The Michigan DEQ and U.S. Air Force are in a formal dispute over the pace and adequacy of PFAS cleanup at the base. Since its establishment in 1923, Wurtsmith played an important role in World War II, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War, hosting the 134th Army Air Force Base Fighter Unit and 379th Bombardment Wing respectively. Others believe that this treatment facility is long overdue. In 1982, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a study of ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base,l Michigan. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. Under Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), the United States Air Force (Air Force) is responsible for investigating and if necessary, addressing any environmental contamination caused by the Air Force while operating Wurtsmith and has invested in over $85 million in cleanup actions. Wurtsmith Air Force Base firefighter foam groundwater contamination began in the early 1970s when Aqueous Film Forming Foam (abbreviated AFFF and pronounced 'a-triple-eff') first became available. Keith's article has current information and details about an upcoming "open house" being held by . Known Toxins At the height of the Cold War, the base was home to B-52s and nuclear bombs. Because of the latest violation, the air force must filter the toxins at an increased rate (1,040 . Abstract A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. Their water table has been contaminated with high levels of PFOA because of the leakage of chemicals from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Because this toxic agent is classified as a known human carcinogen by the Department of Health and Human Services, veterans who spent time at Wurtsmith Air Force Base need to keep a close eye on their health and seek medical attention as soon as they notice distressing symptoms. Investigations and Sites. The Air Force says it did not know about their toxic potential until the EPA initiated a production phase out of the two most known chemicals in 2000. During the Cold War, Wurtsmith was part of the Strategic Air Command and housed a number of B-52 bombers. WAFB began operations in 1923, under the name of Camp Skeel, and was officially named the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in 1953. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, said Arnold Leriche, co-chair of the Wurtsmith Restoration Advisory Board and a resident of Oscoda. [3] Primary Sourses [1] Dave Norton, Former United States Air Force Captain, interviewed on 23 OCT 2017 [2] Ap. As part of their press conference, they released a new report titled, "PFAS Contamination at the Former Wurtsmith Air Force Base: The True Story," which provides a comprehensive overview of the Air Force's mishandling of PFAS contamination in Oscoda and the lack of accountability from the state of Michigan. In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. In the 1970s, the Air Force used PFAS-laced firefighting foam. The granular activated carbon filtration system pumps and treats 250 gallons per minute (gpm). For years the state has ignored its foamy rivers and water supplies contaminated with . Cindi and Lawrence Ashbeck were stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base from 1986 to 1993. "/> You can read the Freep article by clicking here. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, located in Iosco County, MI, operated from 1923 until it was decommissioned in 1993. . Call 205.328.9200 Claim Application PFAS Sites and Areas of Interest. The base closed shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The state of Michigan says yes. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality released a report Thursday, Aug. 30, concluding that Wurtsmith wells were 'likely impacted' by PFAS contamination between 1978 and 1997, when municipal water from Lake Huron was brought to the base. "/>. By that time, Wurtsmith had already closed. The full report can be found here. The couple and their children have suffered multiple health problems they think are linked to. source of PFAS contamination of ground water on military bases. At the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northern Michigan, the water contamination has persisted for nearly half a century. First, some children and adults who used trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated water in their homes in the past may be at risk for. Air Force says it won't follow Michigan law during Wurtsmith cleanup A May 2, 2018 plume map showing total PFAS concentrations in the groundwater around the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda. While many sees this facility as a great achievement. For decades, day-to-day military operations have contaminated the water at bases across the country, including the now-defunct George Air Force Base in Victorville, Calif. (Briana Smith/News21) Many of the buildings remaining on the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base have decayed over the years. In Michigan, there are 40 known sites, including active and former military bases, that have confirmed PFOA and PFOS in groundwater.Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) became aware of PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base way back in March 2010 after sampling confirmed its presence at a fire training area on the base. The base, like many other Air Force installations, used a specialized foam to put out fires.