The Department of Defense has postponed cleanup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals,” at nearly 140 U.S. military installations. The revised schedules, released in March without formal announcement, indicate some sites could face delays of up to a decade compared with earlier plans.
PFAS have been widely used by the military, particularly in firefighting foams employed during training exercises with jet fuel fires. Over time, the chemicals seeped into soil and groundwater.
The New York Times reported that since 2017, communities near bases have reported high levels of PFAS in drinking water. Studies have linked exposure to health issues including certain cancers, fertility problems, and developmental effects in children.
The Pentagon has already spent more than $2.6 billion investigating contamination and providing interim measures, such as bottled water and treatment systems, in the most affected communities. Still, large-scale remediation has yet to begin.
Preparatory work — testing, site assessments, and evaluation of treatment options — has been pushed back at about one-quarter of the nearly 600 sites with known contamination.
In some cases, cleanup may not start until 2039. Defense officials have cited the complexity of the effort. A Government Accountability Office report described the number of affected installations as “overwhelming,” noting gaps in records about where PFAS were used.
Technologies for removing the chemicals remain limited and costly, often requiring filtration and reinjection of groundwater. The GAO estimated annual costs of nearly $7 billion, a significant increase from projections just a few years ago, and warned that the total could rise further.
The new delays have drawn concern from local leaders and lawmakers who want greater transparency about timelines and funding. Some states, including New Mexico, have pursued lawsuits to compel cleanup, arguing that extended schedules increase environmental and public health risks.
For many affected communities, the revised timelines underscore that PFAS remediation will likely remain a long-term challenge lasting decades.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
