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Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport receives $60,000 for investigation into chemical contamination

US Geological Survey

The Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Authority has been awarded a $60,000 grant to investigate chemical contaminants.

The airport, which is on the site of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, is a known site of several chemical contaminants, including PFAs - which are linked to cancer among other maladies.

The grant comes through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Garry Kellan is the Airport Manager at the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport.

“The grant is going to help us do an environmental site investigation of some high-value development sites. Those sites are earmarked for airport maintenance hangar development.”

Kellan said the grant will help identify how to revitalize and reuse the contaminated sites at the airport.

He said current tenants raised concerns about development.

“Somewhere in the future they may want to put up another hanger but they want to make sure everybody knows what the environmental conditions are.”

He said if any major contamination is found he will approach the Air Force about their responsibility for clean up.

The investigation is expected to be completed before the end of the year.