Baldwin, Bipartisan Group of 39 Senators Push for Increased Action to Address PFAS Exposure at Military Installations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined a bipartisan group of 39 Senators in sending a letter to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd Austin and White House officials urging increased funding for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) testing and remediation. The letter also calls to improve PFAS-related planning to make use of the higher funding levels Congress is willing to appropriate to address the pervasive issue.
The Senators wrote, in part, “As you know, PFAS chemicals have emerged as widespread contaminants to the drinking water sources of military bases across the country largely due to their presence in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used by the military. Members of the military, veterans, and civilians who have served at military installations and/or live in the surrounding communities found to have been contaminated with PFAS face health risks related to exposure to PFAS chemicals, as these materials are found in AFFF, in personal protective equipment used by firefighters and in standard consumer products.”
They closed their letter by urging the administration to put greater emphasis on addressing these pollutants. The Senators wrote, “Our service members, military families, veterans and defense communities deserve the Department’s full attention to appropriately address the scope and severity of PFAS contamination. We ask you to honor that responsibility and take the steps necessary to prioritize this hazard impacting our communities.”
The letter was led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) and also signed by Senators Hassan (D-NH), Braun (R-IN), King (I-ME), Brown (D-OH), Blumenthal (D-CT), Van Hollen (D-MD), Warren (D-MA), Peters (D-MI), Lujan (D-NM), Gillibrand (D-NY), Durbin (D-IL), Kaine (D-VA), Bennet (D-CO), Sinema (D-AZ), Murray (D-WA), Feinstein (D-CA), Booker (D-NJ), Warnock (D-GA), Padilla (D-CA), Casey (D-PA), Rosen (D-NV), Duckworth (D-IL), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Heinrich (D-NM), Kelly (D-AZ), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Ossoff (D-GA), Stabenow (D-MI), Schatz (D-HI), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sanders (I-VT), Leahy (D-VT), Manchin (D-WV), Wyden (D-OR), Merkley (D-OR), and Markey (D-MA).
Full text of the letter can be found here.
An online version of this release is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the PFAS Problem
- EPA Launches New Initiative to Tackle PFAS, Identify Emerging Contaminants in Water - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Nov 20th, 2024
- Environmental & Public Health Groups Urge Wisconsin Supreme Court to Reject Attempt by WMC to Undermine State’s Spills Law - Midwest Environmental Advocates - Nov 18th, 2024
- Baldwin Announces $86 Million for Clean and Safe Drinking Water in Wisconsin Through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Oct 23rd, 2024
- EPA Issues Test Order for PFAS Used in Manufacturing Under National Testing Strategy - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Oct 9th, 2024
- DNR Asks Hunters Near Town Of Stella To Donate Deer Tissue Samples For PFAS Testing - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Oct 3rd, 2024
- Gov. Evers, DNR Announce Nearly $460,000 In Grants Awarded To Small Public Water Systems With PFAS And Manganese Contamination - Gov. Tony Evers - Sep 24th, 2024
- State Supreme Court Agrees to Take WMC Toxic Pollution Case - Midwest Environmental Advocates - Sep 11th, 2024
- 2017 Law Resulting in Long List of Outdated DNR Water Standards - Danielle Kaeding - Sep 5th, 2024
- Murphy’s Law: Is Milorganite Making People Sick? - Bruce Murphy - Sep 4th, 2024
- Wisconsin Seeks To Match PFAS Rules To Federal Regulations - Danielle Kaeding - Aug 27th, 2024
Read more about PFAS Problem here
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