Feds quietly delay cleanup of forever chemicals at military bases in Oregon, Washington [View all]

The U.S. Department of Defense quietly changed its timeline for cleaning up toxic forever chemicals contaminating groundwater at two military bases in Oregon and Washington, delaying the process by six years without public announcement.

The Air National Guard base in Portland and the Fairchild Air Force base near Spokane are among nearly 140 military sites nationwide with delayed investigations and remediation for a group of chemicals known as PFAS. The delays come as congressional Republicans are proposing cutting by nearly $200 million the defense agency’s budget for environmental cleanup, including PFAS, an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and rolling back a 2024 ban on the agency’s use of firefighting foam containing PFAS.

Exposure to the man-made chemicals found in flame retardants, nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing can lead to increased risks for cancers, heart damage, high cholesterol and birth defects, among other adverse health effects.

Washington was the first state to ban the sale and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS in 2018, and Oregon lawmakers this year voted to phase out the use of PFAS-laden firefighting foam. Such foam was heavily used at military bases for decades, and the Department of Defense has identified at least 600 military sites where PFAS are known to have been released.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/09/23/repub/feds-quietly-delay-cleanup-of-forever-chemicals-at-military-bases-in-oregon-washington/