Environment Secretary James Kenney wants to ensure the well-being of all New Mexicans. Kenney is worried about health risks afforded to humans by ground water contamination.
Although ground water can be contaminated by numerous sources, Kenney this week focused on contamination that is the result PFAS. Known as “forever chemicals” and specifically defined as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS are toxic to humans even in very small amounts. When exposed to these man-made toxins, risk levels of developing kidney, testicular and thyroid cancers heighten, as do risk levels of developing numerous other health issues.
On Wednesday, the 9th of June, Kenney testified at a federal hearing of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The title of the hearing was “PFAS: the View from Affected Citizens and States.”
At the hearing Kenney asked for some type of national drinking water standard. A news release (PDF) from the New Mexico Environmental Department states, “Secretary Kenney further urged Congress to take action to recognize in federal statute that discarded PFAS is a hazardous waste that should be regulated from manufacture to disposal. He also asked Congress to provide additional funding to states like New Mexico that must take on additional costs related to managing PFAS contamination and protecting communities.”
Kenney also suggested classifying “discarded PFAS as a hazardous waste so that states can better regulate the chemicals.”
In addition to Kenney, private citizen Joanne Stanton of Pennsylvania, as well as other government officials, testified at Wednesday’s hearing. Stanton, co-founder of the Buxmont Coalition for Safer Water, told lawmakers that at the age of six her son was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. However, not until a few years ago did she learn that “… drinking water in her community, just north of Philadelphia, had been contaminated for decades with PFAS.” Stanton summed up her statement by noting that this contamination has not been cleaned up and that the PFAS still remain in the the drinking water of north Philadelphia.
Secretary Kenney is especially concerned about the impact PFAS are having within the State of New Mexico. These chemicals have been found in ground water at two of the state’s Air Force bases, Cannon in Curry County and Holloman in Otero County. This ground water contamination has evolved over several years from the Air Force’s use of a firefighting lather which has leached into water sources.
Previously, PFAS were found in the water supply of the City of Clovis. These chemicals came from nearby contaminated ground water at Cannon Air Force Base. However, EPCOR, the utility that owns the Clovis public water system, after becoming aware of the problem immediately took the contaminated water “out of service”.
Earlier this year in March, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Tom Carper acknowledged that PFAS are a danger to Americans and that he will continue his fight in Congress for all Americans to be ensured safe and clean water.
New Mexico sued the federal government in 2019 regarding clean-up of ground water contamination at the the state’s two affected Air Force bases. However, the suit still goes on-and-on with no resolution.
In the mean time, Kenney is keen to determine the size and extent of PFAS contamination around Cannon and Holloman Air Force Bases, as well as in the entire State of New Mexico. He then wants to develop a plan to clean up toxins. Kenney has said that “his department has reviewed data, drafted analysis and sampling plans, and visited areas around Cannon and Holloman Air Force bases. Once the study is done, the department will evaluate the next steps based on the risk to public health, available funding and any actions taken by the federal government at that point.”
The bottom line is clear. Kenney wants all of New Mexico free of PFAS. He wants New Mexico’s inhabitants to be ensured of clean drinking water.
