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Environmental groups hope Congress funds PFAS cleanup in Great Lakes region

ANN ARBOR, MI (MPRN)--   A U.S. House Committee takes up the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday.

At least six current or former military bases in the Great Lakes region are confirmed to have PFAS-contaminated groundwater. Three of those sites are in Michigan.

Jared Hayes is with the Environmental Working Group. He says as contaminated water and fish enter the Great Lakes, the problem gets bigger.

“The water is all connected and PFAS is highly mobile. When it gets into the Great Lakes, it enters the fish population and that travels around,” he says.

The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act includes deadlines for PFAS testing, but not for cleanups. In the House, Republican Michael Turner of Ohio and Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Michigan have introduces legislation to address PFAS contamination at Department of Defense sites.