Senator Gary Peters lambasts department of defense in PFAS hearing

ALPENA, Mich. __ The decades long battle to control the distribution and use of pfas, a chemical linked to health and environmental risks has come to a head in a hearing in Michigan.

This morning Michigan senator Gary Peters lambasted the department of defense for what he called a failed effort to control PFAS contamination on their bases.

Peters sited a recent inspector general report that claimed the d–o–d– did not protect Michiganders from the harmful contaminant.

“According to this report despite having information that PFAS exposure presented concerning health and environmental risks; the department of defense failed to warn service members, their families and local communities about these potential risks for five years, unnecessarily putting them in harm’s way, said peters. ”

Northeast Michigan residents who have suffered from PFAS exposure have not had much done to mitigate or rectify it.

Peters stated, “The residents of Oscoda, Michigan, which is home to the former Wurtsmith air force base have been exposed to harmful PFAS substances in their groundwater and water ways for many years.”

Peters went on to say the d–o–d did not take actionable steps to limit Michiganders exposure to PFAS and would like them to do more.

” moving forward there’s more the department can do to expand there blood testing program to track long term health consequences of PFAS contamination. And finally the department of defense must do more to work collectively with communities and state and local steak holders who have suffered from PFAS contamination over the years.”

To view the PFAS map in full click here