Air Force agrees to reimburse West Virginia city for chemical cleanup

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — The Air Force has agreed to reimburse $4.9 million to the city of Martinsburg, West Virginia, for expenses related to the 2016 cleanup of hazardous chemicals from the city’s water supply.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia announced the agreement Wednesday.

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States, military clash on cleanup of toxic chemicals

Few producers or users of PFAS face potential liabilities as great as the U.S. military.

By Kyle Bagenstose and Jenny Wagner, Bucks County (Pa.) Courier Times via the AP

A statement released by Capito's office says the Environmental Protection Agency identified high levels of contamination linked to chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl (pol-ee-floor-oh-AL'-kil) substances, or PFAs. The 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 Regional Airport.

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New Mexico on Tuesday sued the U.S. Air Force over groundwater contamination at two bases, saying the federal government has a responsibility to clean up plumes of toxic chemicals left behind by past military firefighting activities.

Similar contamination has been found at dozens of military sites across the nation.

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