Vermont Air Guard expands sampling for water contamination

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — The Vermont Air National Guard says it’s expanding its investigation for chemical contamination near the South Burlington base for a class of potentially toxic chemicals.

Earlier sampling found elevated levels of the compounds known collectively as PFAS at multiple sites, including a private well.

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The initial review will last until 2020 and set the foundation for further studies into whether PFAS is to blame for military cancers and birth defects.

By Tara Copp, AP

The Guard says a filtration system was installed in the well and PFAS were not detected in drinking water.

Contamination has been found at dozens of military sites across the nation, and growing evidence that exposure can be dangerous has prompted the EPA to consider setting a maximum level for the chemicals in drinking water nationwide.

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$2 billion cost to clean up water contamination at military bases, defense official says

Cleaning up and protecting U.S. drinking water from a class of toxic chemicals used in many household items could cost in the tens of billions of dollars nationally, including $2 billion for the Department of Defense alone, witnesses testified Wednesday before a House panel urging the federal government to move more quickly on the cleanup.

The Vermont Air Guard said Tuesday that it expects to have the results of the expanded inspection early next year.

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