The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) celebrated a procedural victory this week when a federal judge allowed the state’s ongoing civil case against Cannon Air Force Base to move forward. The case centers on decades-long use of PFAS-laden firefighting foam at Cannon Air Force Base (AFB), which leaked into nearby groundwater. According to NMED, the decision will set a new precedent for states to hold PFAS polluters accountable, guiding hundreds of related suits in a multidistrict litigation.
New Mexico seeks a declaration of liability, which would force the federal government to compensate the state by paying the costs of projects that restore and conserve groundwater, and to work with the state to address PFAS contamination around Cannon AFB. See NMED’s announcement for further details.
