Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin requesting that the Department of Defense begin testing and remediation for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in accordance with Michigan’s newest standards. Michigan regulates seven different PFAS under its latest drinking water standards.
The March 31 letter invoked the provisions of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and requested that DOD amend its existing cooperative agreement with Michigan to commit to meeting or exceeding Michigan’s PFAS standards at all sites with contamination that originated from DOD activities. The Governor specifically referenced cleanup work at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base and called on DOD to include the state’s stringent PFAS standards in site remediation work plans.
