Oscoda

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."

A comment by an Oscoda Township board member stating FEMA would use Oscoda-Wurtsmith airport as an emergency response hub sparked rumors online.

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.

In the 2010s, the town of Oscoda, Michigan discovered that parts of the Au Sable River, groundwater, and private wells were contaminated with a chemical known as PFAS. While the town is currently thriving with tourists in the summer, the place originally saw a loss of profits and tourism when the initial contamination was announced.

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.

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.

Oscoda residents have long-noted bright white foam on their Lake Huron beach, and worried about it containing toxic "forever chemicals." A new community-led study confirms their suspicions.

Oscoda residents got a few wins after the Air Force recently expanded PFAS cleanup actions, but community members say certain areas are being overlooked.

Locations in Oscoda, Grayling and Mount Clemens have made the list of nearly 40 communities where the DOD will implement PFAS cleanup actions this year.

The Air Force says it plans to implement new clean up operations in Oscoda that have been long-demanded by residents.