Waterkeeper Alliance Condemns Pentagon for Delaying PFAS Cleanup at Military Bases
By: Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeeper Alliance is calling on President Trump and Congress to hold the Department of Defense (DoD) accountable after a New York Times report revealed that the Pentagon has delayed cleanup of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination at nearly 140 military installations across the country.
Often called “forever chemicals,” these toxins have been detected at military sites nationwide, largely due to the historic use of PFAS-laden firefighting foams. It’s estimated that nearly 700 U.S. military bases are confirmed or suspected to have PFAS contamination in soil or water. As noted in the Times article, residents living near many of these bases have reported dangerously high levels of PFAS in their drinking water since 2017, putting them at risk for serious health issues—including cancer, thyroid disease, reduced vaccine response, pregnancy complications, and low birth weight—all of which have been linked to PFAS exposure.
This is a significant concern, as a 2022 analysis found that more than 600,000 service members may have been exposed through contaminated on-base drinking water. Instead of acting swiftly to protect service members, their families, and nearby communities, the DoD has repeatedly delayed action, including this latest timeline that pushes remediation back by an average of five years. Some sites face delays of up to a decade, with cleanup at several locations not expected to begin until 2039.
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s proposed Pentagon budget cuts should never come at the expense of dedicated service members, their families, or the health of surrounding communities,” said Marc Yaggi, CEO of Waterkeeper Alliance. “People who have already lived for years drinking toxic water laced with PFAS cannot be told to wait another generation for relief. Every delay means unnecessary exposure to preventable harm.”
Waterkeeper Alliance previously called on Congress to hold the DoD accountable after it failed to request adequate funding to properly address the PFAS crisis at military sites. The organization is renewing this call by strongly urging lawmakers in Washington to reject these new delays, fully fund PFAS cleanup, and hold the DOD to a timeline that puts public health above cutting costs.