PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large group of man-made toxic chemicals
that were recently found at high levels in the ground water
at Westchester County Airport just tenths of a mile from the Kensico Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to millions in Westchester and NYC.
Members of our Steering Committee attended a session today aimed at empowering those advocating against PFAS contamination and for its victims. The Center for Health Environment & Justice sponsored.
Andrea Amico, Co-Founder of
Testing for PEASE, was the first of two speakers. Her Portsmouth, NH community discovered some years ago that its drinking water supply had become contaminated by PFAS chemicals from fire-fighting foam at the former Pease Air Force base, now a site for businesses, schools, daycare centers and a civilian airport. Its Haven well, which supplied 46% of community drinking water, was tested and found to have 3050 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOS/PFOA compounds plus another 960 ppt for PFHxS. The EPA's current voluntary health advisory for just PFOS/PFOA recommends a lifetime limit in drinking water of 70 ppt. The well was shut down in 2014.
From 2015 through today, Testing for PEASE has advocated for blood testing, health studies, and remediation, and has been at the forefront of PFAS activism nationwide. It faced challenges being taken seriously but Ms. Amico showed how their group has prevailed and accomplished much. Residents have been given access to blood tests for PFAS levels, mitigation work to filter out the harmful chemicals is well under way, and ground-breaking health studies are being undertaken.
Ms. Amico cited the studies linking PFAS and a variety of serious health ailments, including cancers, thyroid problems, high blood pressure, etc. She also noted research showing PFAS passes through a woman's placenta and into breast milk to endanger fetus and infants.
$45 million has been spent on mitigation at PEASE by the air force so far including a groundwater filtration system under the airport site using granulated carbon filters that seem to work well on long-chain PFAS like PFOS and PFOA. Experimental resin filters will be introduced as they show more promise with the more challenging short-chain PFAS compounds.
It required dogged advocacy and community organization, but ultimately elected officials at federal, state, and local levels have taken the problem very seriously and become effective leaders in the community's efforts. The group sites an advocacy strategy that speaks well for our airport coalition's efforts and plans:
• Organize with other community members to be effective
• Be factual in what you say to build credibility and trust with stakeholders
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with your elected officials
• Utilize experts to persuade legislators andto educate the public
• Use the media to help get your messaging out and hold stakeholders to their word
• Be patient and recognize that this work is a marathon and not a sprint
• Celebrate the small victories along the way and Never give up!
The second speaker. Shaina Kasper from the
Toxics Action Center, highlighted organizations that exist to assist and empower community activism on PFAS issues. These range from the Center for Health Environment and Justice, which sponsored the webinar, to the
National PFAS Contamination Coalition and its national PFAS Conference (June 10-11, 2019 in Boston).
It's encouraging to know there are additional supportive organizations and dedicated activists out there willing to train, guide, and share. We will be exploring opportunities to more closely align ourselves with these organizations and more.
Our coalition is just getting started. We need all those who appreciate the dangers to
join us as a Supporter. And please spread the word. Thank you.
