‘Forever chemicals’ found in groundwater near military bases

By JOHN FLESHER
AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — An environmental group says groundwater around at least six military installations in the Great Lakes region is contaminated with high levels of PFAS chemicals. The Environmental Working Group says Pentagon records show the compounds have been discovered in water around bases in Michigan, New York, Minnesota and Wisconsin. It says at least 385 military installations nationwide are polluted with PFAS, mostly from firefighting foam used widely in training exercises. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment. The Department of Defense says it will take years to clean up the contamination at its bases.