Contamination

Management is changing at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda. Defense officials say the new structure will improve transparency and the cleanup of toxic "forever chemicals."

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates up to 95 million people could be drinking groundwater with detectable levels of PFAS, according to a new study published in the journal Science.

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint) and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) recently sent a letter to the Department of Defense, demanding a detailed plan to address contaminated military sites.

The report found that polluters underestimate the long-term costs of these control methods. But it's still cheaper for polluters to implement band-aid fixes on contaminated sites.

A $2 billion cleanup in Lake Superior to address pollution from historical copper mining is still in the works.

Calls for urgency aren't new among Oscoda residents, but a revised timeline that pushes PFAS systems on the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base back by roughly two years is catching flack.

Natural foam is usually off-white and has an earthy smell, but some foam — that’s artificially white — contains toxic “forever chemicals” on the beaches of Oscoda.

The funds come from billions of dollars of Environmental Protection Agency grants given to various similar land issues across the state. Clean-up efforts have been celebrated by community leaders and members alike.

At a recent public meeting, Oscoda residents expressed their frustration that a cleanup system to reduce contamination in the Au Sable River is still years away from being built.

Spaniola said it's been a whirlwind after the Environmental Protection Agency implemented federal drinking water standards for PFAS and then listed two of the chemicals as "hazardous substances."