Forty U.S. senators signed a bipartisan letter to Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and White House officials urging increased funding for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) testing and remediation. The letter underscored the urgent need to treat contamination on military installations, where PFAS-containing fire foam and other potential contaminants have been used for decades. Nationwide, the Department of Defense estimates nearly 700 installations may have PFAS exposure.
The letter states that Congress is willing to increase funding to address such a large problem. Over the past six years, Congress has increased funding by $1 billion for the Department to accelerate PFAS testing and remediation, more than doubling the amount requested in the annual budget request during that time frame.