Newsweek, October 2025
Military bases are known contributors to environmental and drinking water contamination due to the high concentrations of PFAS chemicals present in firefighting foam frequently used in drills. But while the contamination caused by these sites is established, the Department of Defense (DOD) has recently delayed the cleanup of PFAS chemicals at more than one hundred military bases.
“The Department’s timeline for cleanup is dictated by the cleanup law (i.e., CERCLA) and its regulations, and reflects both an evolving understanding of PFAS conditions at our military installations and additional investigation based on drinking water standards that EPA finalized last year,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told Newsweek.
Experts who spoke to Newsweek have said the delay is “very concerning,” warning of the impact already happening to the health of those in neighboring communities.
