{"id":51280,"date":"2019-05-06T11:00:19","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T11:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/05\/06\/will-this-proposal-help-dods-water-cleanup-efforts\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:22:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:22:22","slug":"will-this-proposal-help-dods-water-cleanup-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/05\/06\/will-this-proposal-help-dods-water-cleanup-efforts\/","title":{"rendered":"Will this proposal help DoD\u2019s water cleanup efforts?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Pentagon is on board with a new proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency aimed at clarifying state and federal cleanup standards to address groundwater and drinking water <\/a>contaminated by decades of seepage of chemicals \u2014 including those used in the military\u2019s firefighting foams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For decades, the military used firefighting foams that contained PFAS chemicals. These per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are also found in everyday household products. PFAS chemicals have been linked to cancers and other health problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, today, an advocacy group that says even those standards are \u201cwoefully inadequate\u201d released its updated, interactive map<\/a> showing PFAS contamination at 610 sites in 43 states. Of those on the Environmental Working Group\u2019s list, 117 are military sites, including 77 military airports. Service members and families can click on military locations to find the levels of contamination, based on EWG\u2019s research on DoD and other data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EPA\u2019s proposal doesn\u2019t lower the cleanup standards \u2014 the Pentagon had reportedly sought to weaken the standards<\/a>, according to press reports. This proposal aligns with the EPA\u2019s 2016 health advisory that recommended water sources contain no more than 70 parts per trillion of the PFAS chemicals perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and\/or perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS at sites being addressed, including those under federal cleanup programs. The PFOA and PFOS are the two most well-known of the hundreds of PFAS chemicals currently in use. The proposal also would set a rate of 40 ppt as the level where no adverse effects are expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the EPA\u2019s health advisory has been in effect since 2016, neither the Pentagon or any municipality was required to meet the 70 ppt standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DoD, NASA and the Small Business Administration had reportedly pushed for increasing the standard to 380 ppt for a clean up standard, which would have allowed higher exposure to the compounds in water sources, according to Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., in a March letter to the EPA. \u201cSuch levels would, among other consequences, subject fewer sites that were contaminated through the military\u2019s use of PFOA\/PFOS from having to be remediated in the first place,\u201d Carper said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoD fully supports the trigger level for investigation and initial cleanup goal contained in EPA\u2019s draft interim recommendations,\u201d said DoD spokeswoman Heather Babb. \u201cEPA\u2019s draft provides helpful guidance for a consistent approach to PFOA and\/or PFOS groundwater cleanups.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DoD has been using 40 ppt in groundwater as the level to begin a detailed investigation of sites with the PFOS and\/or PFOA contamination, Babb said. In addition, DoD \u201chas been using and will continue to use the 70 ppt as the preliminary remediation goal\u201d \u2013 the initial target for a cleanup level. That can be adjusted, based on the site, as more information becomes available, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said DoD has been using the \u201clong-established Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act\u201d process in its cleanups, \u201cThe science-based process applies to everyone and every chemical and it indicates 390 ppt as the level that requires the initiation of the cleanup process,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In testimony May 1 before the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said, \u201cwe\u2019ve agreed with the EPA on a common standard, and it was their standard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said there were discussions on the processes that will be used to implement the EPA\u2019s standard. Noting that the EPA\u2019s recommended guidelines are out for public comment, he told lawmakers, \u201cI think in working with you and others, do we have the right standard is really now the question for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t