Michigan congressional leaders recently sent a letter to the Department of Defense, demanding a detailed plan to address contaminated military sites.
This comes after the U.S. Air Force revealed two cleanup actions in Oscoda will not be implemented for another five years. Those cleanup systems are meant to stop toxic "forever chemicals" from leaking into the Au Sable River.
In a livestream from Mid-Michigan Now, U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint) thanked Oscoda residents for their advocacy and promised to hold the DoD accountable, even as his term wraps up soon.
"We need to be grateful for the progress we've made, but the more we know about PFAS, the more we learn, the more we move forward on this agenda, the more we realize how big this problem is," Kildee said.
Kildee touted federal developments like the development of PFAS standards for drinking water and "hazardous substances" designation for two compounds, among other policies.
The letter was sent jointly by Kildee and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township), and it was signed off by U.S Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham), Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids), Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit), Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) and Lisa McClain (R-Bruce).
Oscoda homeowner, Tony Spaniola also spoke at Tuesday's press conference, where he expressed gratitude for Kildee's role in tackling PFAS.
"We have to fight for virtually every inch of cleanup we get, and that fight continues," Spaniola said. "... As we look to the future ... the Inspector General and Department of Defense need to look into the issues. We know in Oscoda we're not the only place in the country where this is happening."
Air Force officials have previously said the department will "work to identify opportunities to accelerate the schedule" in Oscoda.
