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The deal would compensate water providers for pollution with per- and polyfluorinated substances, known collectively as PFAS a broad class of chemicals used in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products such as clothing and cookware. The chemicals she drank for perhaps 25 years out of her tap the ones that now poison her blood at levels 750 times the average American's will remain inside her body. DEQ spokesman Scott Dean said new "Eat Safe Fish" guidelines for fish in Van Etten Lake were updated and distributed last year, factoring in the results of earlier testing of fish in the lakefor mercury and PFOS. A state toxicologist put the recommended cleanup criteria at 60 parts per trillion. TheWurtsmith Air Force Basein Oscodashut down in June 1993 after 70 years of operation, a casualty of the end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. "I hope we get to the bottom of how this came about, and we fix it for future generations.". MDHHS will continue to evaluate surface water and foam data when it becomes available and will issue further recommendations if necessary. MPART was established in 2017 to address the threat of PFAS contamination in Michigan, protect public health, and ensure the safety of Michigans land, air, and water, while facilitating inter-agency coordination, increasing transparency, and requiring clear standards to ensure accountability. But nope, they are there at relatively high levels.". Nestled alongside Kalamazoo, Parchment is among the latest Michigan communities to learn perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) industrial chemicals linked to a litany of health risks had infiltrated its water supply. How did PFAS get here? Gretchen Whitmer has directed that Michigan develop its own, enforceable PFAS drinking water standards by the end of this year. Huron River starting where I-275 crosses the river in Wayne County to Lake Erie. MPART is charged with providing recommendations to the department directors and coordinates efforts between them. . Michigan was an early leader in identifying the scope of its PFAS contamination problem, after . Kaiti Sullivan | MLive.comKaiti Sullivan. Sampling was completed one year later, and "do not eat the fish" advisories were issued on the Flint River and Rogue River in Rockford by 2014. At some sites, likeSuperfundsites, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) staff have been overseeing environmental cleanup efforts for many years, and may add PFAS sampling to ongoing sampling if PFAS was known or suspected to have been used at the site. Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site, Allied Paper Landfill (OU1). Facing lawsuits over PFAS contamination, the industrial giant 3M, which has made PFAS for many uses for decades, . Sites in the Upper Peninsula near Marquette and Escanaba have high levels of PFAS in soils and groundwater, related to operations at the now-closed K.I. Michigan last year became the first state to issue a PFAS-related, do not eat advisory for deer in a 5-mile radius of Clark's Marsh, near the shuttered Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, after a deer there was found with elevated PFOS levels in its blood. Located along James P. Cole Boulevard, north of . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The Air Force is not effectively acting to curtail the PFAS contamination that is emanating from the former base, where it was usedin firefighting foam over decades. If a sample exceeds water quality standards, staff work upstream until they find the site contributing to the PFAS. EGLE is also partnering with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to test fish and wildlife; MDHHS works with local health departments to issue any necessary health advisories. The DEQ has not yet defined the outer edges of the contamination plumes. If you find foam on a waterbody, check out theNaturally Occurring Phenomena brochureon tips on how to tell if it is naturally occurring or PFAS foam. DuPont would continue to use the product until 2015. "There was never any concern about what they were fighting the fires with. "And if you start screwing around with chemicals our bodies have never seen, our bodies don't know how to process it. Organic compounds from decomposing plants in the lake/river reach the water'ssurface, where wind and wave action pushthem to the shore. The process of regulation is hard to navigate by design, he said. Thousands of Michigan residents' water supplies have been impacted, and the full scope. ", "We take a hit," said Arnie Leriche, a co-founder of Need Our Water, or NOW, a grassroots community group engaged on the PFAS problem at Wurtsmith. 7/30/18 Press Release - Update on PFAS Contamination Testing Results; Specific and additional information regarding Carl's Retreading location can be found here. That spurred the Air Force into action on PFAS at the base, Delaney said. Gene Kirvan is a charter captain in Oscoda, one of the few who offer year-round charters on both nearby Lake Huron and the Au Sable River. Between 2018 and early 2020 EGLE sampled PFAS foam at Van Etten Lake and Cedar Lake in Oscoda near the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base and on Lake Margrethe in Grayling near Camp Grayling. 7/26/18 Press Release about PFAS found in Blair Township. President Joe Biden has promised to tackle PFAS contamination by regulating the chemicals in drinking water, designating PFAS as hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law, stopping government purchasing of some products containing PFAS, and funding additional research into the chemicals. But no one can tell Wynn-Steltdefinitively what her prolonged exposure to massive levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS, the emerging contaminant causing a rising crisis across Michigan and the country will mean forher future health. Multiple states have raised concerns about PFAS contamination from solar farms, largely citing academic research on how PFAS could potentially be used in photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.1 The fact is that PFAS is not customarily used in solar panels because safer, effective alternatives have already been developed and commercialized. Foam recommendations and/or advisories have been issued by MDHHS and implemented by local health departments for the following waterbodies: The amount of PFAS in lake and river water and in foam matters in determining if a health concern exists. MDHHS recommends everyone avoid foam on lakes and rivers impacted by PFAS contamination and rinse off the foam after contact. Call EGLE's Environmental Assistance Center at 800-662-9278 from 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday or send them an email at EGLE-Assist@Michigan.gov. "She's lost a couple of sales on Van Etten Lake because of the contamination she has had people say it's because of the contamination.". ', "And I said, 'What's the problem with that? PFAS contamination was confirmed in Parchment's water last July. Use the interactive table below to find the site you're looking for. Generally, naturally occurring foam: Scientists are still studying why and how PFAS foam appears in some lakes and streams and not in others. Consistency of foam. "I became convinced by the end of the year that these things were really, really dangerous. The results of the study and foam sampling collected as part of this effort is included in the. After exposures are characterized, further studies may be conductedto examinehow health issues potentially correlate with PFAS blood or water levels. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Jared Golden (D-ME-02), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Michael Lawler (R-NY-17), and Gwen Moore (D-WI-04). Eat Safe Fish guidelines are provided as MI Servings. The foams were contaminated with several PFAS compounds, but most notably with PFOS. "They were saying, 'It's just out of an abundance of caution,' " she said. "Delay is hurting our businesses," Leriche said. For more information about PFAS in foam, visit thePFAS foampage. As part of this effort, foam was collected at six locations around the state. Sawyer Air Force Base. 3M responded to Free Press requests for an interview with an emailed statement. Judge approves $54M PFAS settlement between 3M, north Kent County residents, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The white, waxy material was the slipperiest substance ever found, and heat-resistant. "When we start talking parts per trillion, that means something is extremely toxic and dangerous," Delaney said. Is it light and fluffy like shaving cream or watered down with organic matter? The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) often receives complaints about foam on a river or lake. "But this settlement does not address the costs already incurred by our State to address PFAS contamination, nor the damages to our natural resources.". Affected residents are being contacted and asked to participate in clinics, where they provide demographic data and a blood sample. It's the only city in the DEQ's review of more than 1,380 public water systemswith PFAS levels above the EPA 70 parts per trillion benchmark, testing as high as 1,500 parts per trillion for combined PFOS and PFOA last July. Taxpayers often suffer the costs of cleanup due to bureaucratic delays and litigation that can take years to determine culpability. "There will be many other sites in Michigan that contain high levels of PFCs (per- or polyfluorinated compounds)in the environment and in biota (animal and plant life)and potentially in citizens of the state," Delaney propheticallystated in the report to Wyant and others at the DEQ. I think they said something like they are not taking responsibility for it, but they are trying to be good neighbors.". Is an area being investigated due to the potential for PFAS contamination to be affecting residential wells for which a source has not been determined. Delaney said he has come to believe that widespread chemical contaminationis contributing to the crisis of emerging diseases and disorders in America and elsewhere. Most of the lawsuits have stemmed from firefighter training exercises at airports, military bases and other sites around the U.S. that repeatedly used foams laced with high concentrations of PFAS, Summy said. What's next? EGLE staff will contact the person who filed the complaint to verify the complaint was received and to ask any follow-up questions. But I do think this is going to make a huge dent in that cost and you don't have to litigate for the next decade or longer.. More than500 contaminated Michigan farms were quarantined, and30,000 cattle, 4,500 pigs, 1,500 sheep, and 1.5 million chickens were destroyed. Tasior said his wife, Devon, a real estate agent in the community, has lost sales related to the ongoing PFAS situation. We know that foam is hazardous to humans. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is conducting testing in drinking water, groundwater, lakes & streams, soils, sediments, wastewater, and the PFAS foam that can accumulate at lakes and rivers. A February study by the Ecology Center, Friends of the Rouge, Huron River Watershed Council and local anglers found PFAS in every fish collected from the Rouge and Huron. ", Contact Keith Matheny: 313-222-5021 or kmatheny@freepress.com. The company began using another PFAS chemical from 3M as a smoothing agent, known as perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. "It's just the plume that you've hit," Tim Osbeck said. EGLE uses existing regulatory programs to address discharges from identified sources that are impacting lakes and streams and may be contributing to the foam. Delaney spent the rest of that year reading everything he could on PFAS and what was known about its danger. Michigan Gov. Researchers in a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Occupational Medicine inSeptember 1993 examined the mortality of employees at a production plant making PFAS compounds. In a study published in 2004 in the peer-reviewed Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, researchers examined whether PFAS compounds could be found in fish and animalsin and around the Great Lakes. It would soon be found in many PFAS-containing products, includingScotchGard protector, a stain repellent 3M began marketingin 1956. Optional but helpful: did/can you take a picture of the foam? As of early 2020, two methods were being used to sample foam: either a modified pool skimmer or by hand (using powderless nitrile gloves). The state of Michigan is committed to sharing information with residents regarding PFAS testing that is occurring throughout the state. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The symposium will allow participants to exchange scientific information and discoveries while also discussing PFAS contamination in agricultural systems, transport into crops and livestock, remediation, policy, and emerging . Rick Snyder concluded last December that the number "may not provide a sufficient margin of safety" for public health. That included the Belmont Armory, a former church. We are also gathering and evaluating information to determine if regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act is appropriate for other chemicals in the PFAS family. PFAS contamination is not a Michigan problem but also a nationwide problem. *** Michigan has been routinely testing fish filets for PFAS since 2012. The cases are pending in U.S. District Court in Charleston, South Carolina, where Judge Richard Gergel is overseeing thousands of complaints alleging PFAS damages. The city's name comesfrom the paper mill around which the communitywas built in 1909. While solutions do not come quickly under the CERCLA (Superfund) process, the Air Force is committed to working with Michigan to find effective solutions within our authorities.". Shelearned in 2017 that her drinking water wellwastainted by a plume of PFAS groundwater contamination that came from a landfill across the street from her house in the Kent County community ofBelmont,where Wolverine Worldwide, the longtime shoe and leather products makerin neighboring Rockford, for years dumped wastesludge from itstannery. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Drill rig drilling a drinking water well. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. The settlement will be paid over 13 years and could reach as high as $12.5 billion, depending on how many public water systems detect PFAS during testing that EPA has required in the next three years, said Dallas-based attorney Scott Summy, one of the lead attorneys for those suing 3M and other manufacturers. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is conducting testing in drinking water, groundwater, lakes & streams, soils, sediments, wastewater, and the PFAS foam that can accumulate at lakes and rivers. A life preserver hangs on the fence. MPART is charged with providing recommendations to the department directors and coordinates efforts between them. The residents say the companies created a private and public nuisance by knowingly polluting their environment with per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances, a family of chemicals contained in. How much foam is present, length by width by thickness? Statewide PFAS Survey of Public Water Supplies, Compliance Monitoring in Public Water Supplies, A fresh brown trout in the palm of an angler, Eat Safe Fish from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Go to Statewide PFAS Survey of Public Water Supplies, Go to Compliance Monitoring in Public Water Supplies, All Species Except Bluegill, Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass (see Eat Safe Fish Northeast Regional Guide for more information), Au Sable River (downstream of the Foote Dam; includes Van Etten Creek), Migratory Species (brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, rainbow trout, steelhead, and walleye), Flint River (upstream of Mott Dam, including the Mott and Holloway Reservoirs and North and South Branches of the Flint River), Clinton River (upstream of Yates Dam, including Stony Creek up to the Winkler Pond Dam), River Raisin (upstream of Dundee Dam, including Dundee Pond), Rouge River, Lower Branch and Main Branch (downstream of Ford Estate Dam in Dearborn), Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne. The DEQ noted that[n]ot closing the landfill could result in contamination continuing to emanate into the Kalamazoo River.. As a result, it was 2018 before anybody got around to looking in Parchment, Michigan, for these chemicals. Huron River starting where N. Wixom Road crosses in Oakland County and extending downstream to where I-275 crosses the river in Wayne County. Some 46Michigan locationshave PFAS compounds in groundwater that exceed the EPA's 70 parts-per-trillion health advisory level. You don't have to treat us specialtreat them all. "Those are the kinds of things that make you fall to sleep at night and cry, because you wonder: Had they told me that 20 years ago, would my life be different now? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. But the chemicals have never been outright banned, and theirproduction shifted to China and other countries, so the contaminants continue to pollute the globe. PFAS contamination is Michigan's biggest environmental crisis in 40 years. Other states are more restrictive. For environmental emergencies such as spills or releases of PFAS or AFFF containing PFAS call EGLEs Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) at 800-292-4706. Regulators can limit or ban the production, marketing or use of certain substances if they are deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to health or the environment. Natural foam without PFAS is usually off-white and/or brown in color, often has an earthy or fishy scent, and tends to pile up in bays, eddies or at river barriers such as dams. In a November report, the Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality say PFAS contamination at former Wolverine Worldwide sites appear to typically travel in . Two of the first PFAS compounds the chemical industry has begun making andusing to replace PFOS and PFOA, calledGenX and PFBS, have their own health and environmental concerns. You will be able to submit photos of the foam if you have them. By Jay Landers. If it is a floating mass of foam, which direction is it moving?

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