CHEMICALS
Air Force agrees to reimburse W.Va. city for PFAS cleanup
Published: Thursday, May 23, 2019
The Air Force has agreed to reimburse $4.9 million to the city of Martinsburg, W.Va., for expenses related to the 2016 cleanup of hazardous chemicals from the city’s water supply.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) announced the agreement yesterday.
A statement released by Capito’s office says EPA identified high levels of contamination linked to chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. EPA mandated that additional water filtration systems be installed at a treatment plant.
The statement says the source of the contamination was revealed to be firefighting foam used by the Air National Guard at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport.
Similar contamination has been found at dozens of military sites across the nation. — Associated Press