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Congressman Dan Kildee on Remediation Near Wurtsmith Air Force Base

June 13, 2020

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, issued the following statement after the U.S. Air Force announced that it will award a contract to begin controlling PFAS chemical contamination in areas around the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base near Oscoda as part of the remediation process:

"After years of pushing for clean up of harmful per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) contamination in Oscoda, I am glad to see the Air Force begin to take action. The Air Force has known for years that substantial endangerment exists from PFAS contamination, yet has dragged its feet. Stopping PFAS chemical contamination into Clark's Marsh is just the beginning. The Air Force must address PFAS chemicals leeching off of Wurtsmith into Lake Van Etten, where residents recreate.

"Oscoda residents have waited too long the Air Force to clean up these ‘forever' chemicals and the Air Force must move swiftly on additional remediation."

In April, Congressman Kildee wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force calling on the Air Force to immediately act to clean-up PFAS chemicals. This followed Congressman Kildee's remarks at the Wurtsmith Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meeting in April, where he expressed frustration over the Air Force's continued inaction.