Rosen Questions Defense, Environmental Protection Officials on Toxic PFAS Contamination at Nevada Military Bases and Improving Federal Response

WASHINGTON, DC – During a hearing today of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on improving federal efforts to control contamination from highly toxic Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) questioned officials from the Department of Defense and Environmental Protection Agency about PFAS contamination on military bases in Nevada and across the country, and ongoing efforts to disclose any testing for PFAS.

Senator Rosen highlighted that Creech and Nellis Air Force Bases have confirmed PFAS-contaminated groundwater and pushed for more information on a timeline for PFAS cleanup at those military installations. A video of Senator Rosen’s full exchange can be found aquí.

Earlier this year, Senator Rosen introduced the Military PFAS Testing Disclosure Act, bipartisan legislation requiring the Secretary of Defense to publicly disclose the results of any testing for PFAS conducted on military installations. The bill is included in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA), which passed the House of Representatives and is expected to be considered by the Senate next week. In December 2020, Senator Rosen also led a letter, joined by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), to the Air Force requesting information related to the Air Force’s investigation of environmental impacts of PFAS exposure at and surrounding Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

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