Read the full article by Hiroko Tabuchi (The New York Times)
“The email from the Pentagon to members of Congress, on the cleanup of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ that have contaminated military installations across the country, opened on a decidedly upbeat tone.
‘Good morning!’ the email dated Aug. 31 read. ‘The Department of War is committed to addressing our PFAS releases and we remain dedicated to confronting this national challenge.’
Yet the news the email carried was dire. PFAS cleanups at nearly 243 military sites had been pushed back by an average of 5 years, and some as long as 19 years.
That came after rounds of previous delays, first reported by The New York Times, of work to remove the PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of synthetic chemicals that don’t break down easily in the environment and have been used for decades in military firefighting foam.
At many sites, PFAS has contaminated local drinking water sources, prompting the Pentagon to provide bottled water to service members as well as nearby residents.”…