Military Base Water Contamination Lawsuit – April 2025 Update

November 21, 2024: 3M Whistleblower Said Company Has Known About the Dangers of PFAS for Decades

In an interview with CBS news, a former 3M scientist said the company knew about the health dangers and contamination concerns of PFAS for decades. Yet, she said the company actively chose to cover up their findings. Kris Hansen, who worked at 3M from the 1990s until 2022, was responsible for testing blood samples for the presence of PFAS, or so-called forever chemicals. She found PFAS in blood samples from plant workers and the general public. Tests from the general public suggested that PFAS might have been leaking into water supplies. After much testing and analytics, Hansen shared her concerns with the CEO in 1999. Hansen was told not to share any information with anyone outside the company and was reassigned. Her account underscores a body of evidence demonstrating that 3M knew about its chemicals’ presence in humans and the threat to human health and covered up this information.

November 15, 2024: New Study Examines Methods for Detecting and Removing PFAS From Drinking Water

A new study published in the journal Emerging Contaminants evaluated different methods for detecting and removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water supplies. PFAS are the chemical contained in aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs), which contaminated drinking water at military bases throughout the country. The study, titled “Advances in Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Detection and Removal Techniques from Drinking Water, Their Limitations, and Future Outlooks,” looked at methods, feasibility, and costs associated with removing dangerous PFAS from drinking water supplies. The study’s authors said their conclusively findings were that a combination of treatment methods would be necessary to remediate water supplies. The remediations will be necessary to keep PFAS from endangering more people.

October 23, 2024: Judge Issues Plaintiff Forms in Military Base Water Contamination Lawsuits 

There has been an update to the Plaintiff Profile Form (PPF) for the AFFF multidistrict lawsuit (MDL 2873), involving PFAS contamination in military water supplies. The Hon. Richard M. Gergel issued an updated PPF and filing instructions in his October 15 Case Management Order. PPFs are forms that a plaintiff’s lawyer fills out. PPFs contain relevant information about the plaintiff and their case. These forms are used to standardize and streamline information gathering during a trial. By issuing an updated PPF, some attorneys think this trial could be moving toward a settlement.

October 3, 2024: DOD Orders the Military to Prioritize PFAS Chemicals in Cleanup Efforts

The office of the Secretary of Defense recently sent a memorandum to the different secretaries of the armed forces prioritizing PFAS chemical cleanup on military bases. This comes after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new drinking water standards on April 26th 2024. The new guidelines state that PFAS levels above 4 parts per trillion (ppt) are unsafe for drinking water.
In response, the Department of Defense (DoD) has identified 578 military sites that have a high probability of PFAS contamination and investigations have already begun at 350 of these sites. The DOD plans to investigate an additional 150 sites within the next two years. In the memorandum, it states that the: “DoD remains committed to fulfilling our PFAS-related cleanup responsibilities and will take necessary actions to incorporate SDWA levels into our cleanup program…” The SDWA or Safe Water Drinking Act was passed by congress in 1974 and is monitored and enforced by the EPA.

September 25, 2024: Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Case Moves Forward with Key Depositions

The Camp Lejeune water contamination case illustrates the complexity of water contamination on military bases. Lawyers for the parties attended a status conference before Judge Robert Jones on September 24, 2024. The parties have spent years working on the water contamination modeling at Camp Lejeune. Contamination of the water includes chemicals such as TCE, PCE, and benzene. Similar chemicals are found on nearly every military base throughout the United States, and many bases also have contamination with PFAS chemicals. The plaintiff’s lawyer will depose the government’s water modeler on September 26, 2024, and Dr. Frank Bove on September 30, 2024. Finally, the Project Director for the National Academy of Sciences will be deposed in October.

September 9, 2024: EPA and U.S. Army Launch Joint Sampling Initiative for PFAS Detection Near Military Bases

The EPA announced a joint project with the U.S. Military to conduct sampling and testing for the presence of PFAS “forever chemicals” in private drinking water wells located near Army bases. This project will begin by evaluating nine locations, with potential expansion to other installations depending on the results found in the initial samplings. The first bases included in the testing are Fort Novosel in Alabama (formerly Ft. Rucker), Fort Hunter Liggett – Parks Reserve Forces Training Area in California, Fort Stewart and Fort Stewart – Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia, Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, Fort Campbell across Kentucky and Tennessee, Fort Liberty in North Carolina (formerly Ft. Bragg), Fort Sill, and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma. Should levels of PFAS detected during testing surpass the new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL), the Army, EPA, and state regulators will decide on possible additional steps to address potential exposure to residents. This joint project continues massive investments by the government to address PFAS contamination across the country. All findings will be made public, and updates can be found on the EPA and DOD’s websites as the information becomes available.

August 13, 2024: First Trials in Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Lawsuit Expected in a Year

The deadline to file an administrative claim form for the Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit has passed. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which became law on August 10, 2022, allowed plaintiffs two years to file an administrative claim. Over 400,000 claims were filed. It is unclear what percentage of those claims allege injuries and what percentage were filed to protect the rights of those who were there in case they become sick later. The court has reduced the first 1,500 filed cases to 25, from which the first trials will be selected. These trials are expected to be nearly a year away. The delay is intended to allow the parties to disclose the experts who will testify about how the water became contaminated, how the contaminated water causes illnesses like cancer, and whether chemicals like TCE and Benzene actually caused cancer in the individuals who filed the lawsuit

July 7, 2024: Military Base Water Contamination Lawsuit Grows as Discovery Continues

The military base water contamination lawsuit continues to move through the discovery phase of the litigation. There was a significant increase in the number of cases filed last month, with more than 9,000 cases now in the MDL. We expect that number to rise significantly as more water contamination cases are filed. While potential trials are still months down the road, many believe that the case will settle before trial.

May 23, 2024: Department of Defense Criticized for Lax PFAS Water Safety Standards

The Department of Defense might be considered behind the times in the water safety department. PFAS chemicals are hazardous substances according to the EPA, which has issued limits of 4 parts per trillion. However, the DoD has issued a policy stating they will only remediate PFAS water contamination for levels exceeding 70 parts per trillion. The government expects small municipalities to protect their water sources, but it seems the rules don’t apply as strictly to the military and those serving.

An important lawsuit involving military bases is proceeding towards trial. The judge in the AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit has set important pretrial disclosures for experts in October 2024 and March 2025. The judge has selected two sites near military bases where contamination has leached into groundwater as the cases that will proceed to trial. The judge has ordered the parties to reduce the total number in the test case pool from 25 to 6. This schedule will lead to a trial date in the summer or fall of 2025. The realistic threat of trial will increase the probability of settlement.

April 22, 2024: EPA Designation of PFOA and PFOS as Hazardous Substances Highlights Military Base Contamination

Two forever chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS, have been designated as hazardous substances by the United States EPA. This designation brings military base contamination into further focus. Some of the most contaminated sites in the US are on military bases. This regulation clarifies the government’s position on these substances. It seems logical that the same government will be forced to continue to clean up the contamination on the military bases and provide safe drinking water to the members of the military stationed there. At least 700 military bases have tested positive for the presence of these (now) hazardous substances.

April 19, 2024: EPA’s New PFAS Regulations Spotlight Military Base Contamination

New PFAS regulations from the EPA highlight the problem on military bases. The regulations clearly and unequivocally state that PFAS cause illnesses and death, necessitating tighter guidelines. The new law reduces the health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS to 4 and 2 parts per trillion, respectively. The EPA, part of the same government as the military, acknowledges that veterans exposed to PFAS on military bases could face serious health consequences. Over 700 military sites have been confirmed as PFAS positive, and nearly every one of them would test above the new limits set by the government. We are left to wonder how many of their own military bases are currently in violation of this law.

April 3, 2024: Final PFAS Settlement approved in public water supplier lawsuits

Judge Gergel recently approved the multi-billion dollar settlement in the PFAS water contamination cases concerning municipal water supplies. This settlement will help pay for clean-up costs of public water systems contaminated by PFAS products produced by 3M. The deal calls for 13 years of payments to be made beginning in the 3rd quarter of 2024, ending in 2036. The final settlement will be between 10.5-12.5 billion dollars and will allow for any new claims through 2026.

While this ends phase one of the litigation, several thousand personal injury claims remain, many of which involve firefighters and military members exposed to AFFF firefighting foam either directly or through contaminated water. Trials in this phase are due to begin in late 2024. It is expected that this part of the litigation could settle within the next 1 to 2 years.

April 1, 2024: Focus on Waterborne Illnesses in Military Base Contamination Lawsuit Before Judge Gergel

The most active part of the military base water contamination lawsuit is centered in Charleston, SC, before Judge Richard M. Gergel. The federal lawsuit is based around firefighting foam, a major contaminator of military bases. Judge Gergel has focused his attention on illnesses that can be caused by consuming contaminated drinking water. The alternative would have been to focus on those directly exposed to chemicals through contact with the skin or by breathing a chemical in the air. Judge Gergel’s position will allow for more veterans to submit claims because many veterans’ most significant contact with contamination on base is through the water that they drank and showered in. The judge has asked plaintiffs’ lawyers for a list of the illnesses they think they can support with scientific evidence. The defense will then respond with their scientific evidence. We anticipate a full day of presentations to the Judge within the next few months about the science of illnesses caused by toxins in drinking water. These “science days” are common in large federal lawsuits, although it is somewhat unusual that science day would be this many years into litigation.

March 23, 2024 – Government Awareness of PFAS Contamination at Military Bases Highlighted

The government has been aware of PFAS contamination around military bases for many years. In 2018, the Union of Concerned Scientists issued a warning that contamination around military bases was a significant health concern, particularly highlighting the risk of cancer. They referenced the 2018 draft of the ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) study, a government-conducted study, to underline the risks. This report was finalized after public comments in May 2021. The ATSDR report on PFAS identified military fire training areas as one of the principal sources of PFAS contamination in the United States. Despite the report’s clear articulation of the problem, many military personnel have been exposed since the report’s publication. In some PFAS lawsuits, the United States government has been named as a defendant, alongside the primary defendants, the chemical manufacturers.

March 22, 2024 – Revealed Documents Link 3M’s PFAS to Health Risks on Military Bases

Chemicals produced by 3M are one of the main sources of PFAS contamination on military bases. Documents revealed during the discovery phase of certain lawsuits indicate that 3M periodically tested and conducted experiments to assess the health effects of PFAS chemicals. These chemicals, used in firefighting foam, were supplied predominantly to the Department of Defense by 3M from the 1960s until the early 2000s. A particularly concerning study, conducted from April 1981 through May 1983, demonstrated that PFAS chemicals caused testicular cancer in rats. This document was marked “confidential,” and there was little subsequent follow-up. Decades later, an independent group of doctors associated with the C8 lawsuit also determined that exposure to PFAS chemicals could cause testicular cancer, echoing the findings of 3M’s earlier experiment.

March 20, 2024 – Military Base Water Contamination Lawsuits Continue to Progress

The Camp Lejeune Lawsuit, the largest military base water contamination lawsuit, is moving along. Today a status conference was held involving Plaintiffs’ lawyers and lawyers from the United States Department of Justice. Judge Robert Jones presided. The majority of the first 100 plaintiff’s have been deposed by the government. Additional depositions of witnesses are ongoing. Plaintiff’s lawyers have made a motion for partial summary judgement on general causation, arguing that there is no reasonable view of the evidence that would suggest toxic exposure is not linked to certain illnesses. The Plaintiff’s requested leave to appeal the decision that there is no right to a Jury Trial. Questions about what information would be relevant to a settlement matrix were raised. More information can be found at camplejeunecourtinfo.com

March 17, 2024 – Plaintiff’s Leadership Requests Additional Diseases to be added to PFAS Lawsuit

As part of the lawsuit alleging cancers and other illnesses caused by AFFF firefighting foam – both by direct exposure and by water contamination on military bases – the Plaintiff’s have asked the judge to add two additional diseases to a previous case management order. Previously the plaintiff’s allege a link to Kidney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Thyroid Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis. In this new request, the plaintiff’s assert that Liver Cancer and Thyroid Cancer should be added. Neither the previous list or the new request necessarily make someone eligible for a settlement, these are simply the diseases which will be most heavily discussed during discovery and trials. It is expected that plaintiff’s will be chosen soon and trials will begin in 2024.

March 13, 2024 – ATSDR releases new study

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a division of The United States Department of Health and Human Services, has released a critical study regarding contamination of military bases. The Pease Study Report was published on January 12, 2024. The study is designed to be a proof-of-concept for a more comprehensive multi military base PFAS contamination study. The study assumes that military bases are some of the most contaminated PFAS sites in the United States. Pease Air Force Base, in Portsmouth, NH, used PFAS chemicals like many military bases. The base closed in 1991. Eventually the old military base was used as a business park and included a day care. The chemicals there have contaminated the water supply. 1,836 people that were regularly exposed to the base water had their blood tested. The results showed their blood serum contained double or triple the national average of PFAS chemicals. Several illness were reported. This study states that a larger sample size would be used to determine the relationship between PFAS exposure and certain illnesses. We expect more work on PFAS at military bases from the ATSDR soon. The report can be viewed here.

March 9, 2024 – Military Water Contamination Lawsuits continue to increase

By motion filed February, 26 2024 the government has asked a federal court judge to dismiss a lawsuit against the United States for PFAS contamination. The lawsuit alleges that the area around Cannon Air Force Base was contaminated by the military with forever chemicals. The Plaintiffs in the suit are four large dairy farms that are adjacent to the base. Lawyers from the Department of Justice say that federal law provides immunity for these claims because the Plaintiffs did not allege a specific violation of law in their complaint. The Government also states that the cases should be dismissed because of a lack of jurisdiction. The Plaintiffs maintain that the Government is at least partially liable for the contamination next to the bases because they knew or should have known of the risks associated with the chemicals on the base. There are at least 27 other similar communities that have filed complaints in this federal lawsuit that could be affected by a decision in this case.

March 1, 2024 – Largest Military Base Water Contamination Case Continues Progress

Bar far the largest litigation ever with respect to contaminated water supplies on military bases reached a new milestone. This week, the four judges overseeing the Camp Lejeune lawsuits have announced the next track of diseases for trial. In Track Two the diseases include: Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer, Kidney Disease, Breast Cancer, and Liver Cancer. These cases will likely follow the same path as track one, selecting 20 cases per disease for trial. Recently the Court decided that Plaintiff’s will be denied jury trials and instead cases will be decided by individual judges – these are know as bench trials. Track 2 trials are anticipated to take place in 2025. Our firm, King Law, continues to prepare for trial in track one. There are 100 track one trials. One of our clients, a Washington state resident with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, is set for depositions (interviews by the government) in April 2024. We expect our client’s case to go to trial at some point in 2024.

February 13, 2024 – Judge Gergel Approves $1.185 Billion Settlement for PFAS Contamination in Military Base Water Supplies

Federal District Court, Charleston, South Carolina – Judge Gergel has issued an important order in the military base water contamination lawsuit. By order dated February 8, 2024 the Court issued final approval for the first settlement in MDL 2873 In Re: Aqueos Film-Forming Foam Products Liability Litigation. The order approves 1.185 billion dollars for public water suppliers with PFAS in their water supply. The settlement is important because military bases were contaminated the same way as public water supply. This case was all about AFFF getting in the ground water. AFFF was most commonly used on military bases. The product that is the center of this case was a joint venture between the military and 3M. Contamination levels on military bases are often thousands of times higher than the so called “contaminated water supplies” found in the general public. We believe that acceptance of responsibility by the defendants in these water supply cases makes the likelihood of recovery for those that were injured by toxic chemicals on military bases more likely. The settlement will also shift the focus of the case to those that were injured, either through direct exposure to firefighting foam, or through contaminated water. Again, we believe the most contaminated water in the United States is found on military bases. We are accepting cases involving Kidney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Thyroid Disease and Thyroid Cancer.

February 9, 2024 – North Carolina Court issues important ruling in military water contamination case

The largest military base lawsuit had an important development this week. The Judge in the Camp Lejeune contaminated water lawsuit granted the government’s motion striking the request for jury trials, made by the plaintiffs. The court previously selected 100 track one plaintiff’s. Everyone thought that there would be bellwether jury trials to help set the potential settlement values in this lawsuit. King Law is one of the select firms with a case selected in the bellwether trial pool. The allegations in this lawsuit include severe contamination from 1953 until 1987. A recent study from the ATSDR has indicated that Marines and Civilians on at the Lejeune base had at least a 20% higher chance of many cancers that those stationed at the Pendleton base. Instead of jury trials the Judge will preside over bench trials. This development will give the judges much more power in the court room as they will be the finders of fact, in addition to their typical role as the judge of the law. The plaintiff’s would prefer jury trials presumably because they feel they could get higher damages from a Jury than a Judge. The plaintiff’s have vowed to appeal the decision.

February 3, 2024 – PFAS Water Contamination lawsuits progresses

The military base lawsuit moved forward in a subtle way last week. Judge Gergel conducted the final fairness hearing regarding Defendant 3M in connection with PFAS in the public water supply. These claims are not directly related to personal injury claims for those with PFAS exposure on military bases. However, the injury claims are part of the larger lawsuit. As the big defendants settle the water contaminating cases the PFAS lawsuit has shifted focus to the personal injury claims. We expect 2024 to see big moves in the injury portion of this lawsuit. The personal injury claims are divided between fire fighters exposed to PFAS and individuals exposed to PFAS through contaminated water. There are thousands of military veterans that trained or were exposed to fire fighting foam. In addition, the foam also contaminated the water supply on hundreds of military bases leading to PFAS related injuries. We are accepting Kidney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Thyroid Disease and Thyroid Cancer cases for people that were exposed to PFAS on military bases. The hearing cleared another the runway for the military base pfas injury lawsuits to move more quickly. The bellwether test trials related to military bases are being prepared for by the lawyers now.

February 1, 2024 – Government Continues Clean up of Military Base Water Contamination

According to US Rep Elissa Slotkin, The Department of Defense plans to install filtration systems near the now closed Wurtsmith Air Force base on Lake Huron. The DoD has admitted to large scale contamination at the military base that closed in 1993. Residents of the area have been instructed to to eat fish or deer from the area. Much of the bases’ contamination is linked to forever chemicals like PFAS, PFOS and PFOA. In addition the site is known to have Benzene and TCE contamination. The pollution there is known to flow down stream through other great lakes and the contamination is added to along the way by other contaminated military sites like the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Mount Clemens, Michigan, and Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in Niagara Falls, NY. Contamination of such bases has led to thousands of military base PFAS related water contamination lawsuits.

January 18, 2024 – Historic Military Base Lawsuit Trials Loom

The largest military base contamination lawsuit is moving towards trial. The Judge in the Camp Lejeune cases has ordered 100 of the most serious injury cases to proceed with discovery so that bellwether trials can be scheduled as soon as possible. These plaintiffs are deemed to be representative of the thousands of plaintiffs that were exposed to toxic substances at the base. In the past several years the contamination at Camp Lejeune has shed a light on the toxic exposure problem on our military bases. The the government’s ATSDR study proved that the chemicals known as PCE, TCE, Benzene, Vinyl Chloride we present at the base. The government has made document demands of the track 1 plaintiffs. The plaintiff’s responses were Due on January 10, 2024. Plaintiff’s are also providing basic information to the defense in the form of the Plaintiff’s Profile Form. That submission is due on January 19, 2024. Party depositions have begun and are ongoing.

January 9, 2024 – Military Base Water Contamination Lawsuits in 2024

The number of contaminated military base lawsuits is expected to rise this year. Illnesses related to toxic exposure have a typical latency period. Latency is the period from the time of exposure until diagnosis. That means that thousands of veterans and their families that were exposed to toxic substances in the past could be diagnosed this year. The amount of toxic exposure on military bases is very high. A review of the congressional budget offers some clues about the scope of the problem. Last year congress appropriated 2.2 billion dollars for environmental clean up. Sections 321 324 and 328 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 address funding for PFAS clean up. According to the EPA there were 1336 uncontrolled hazardous waste sites on September 7, 2023. The Department of Defense has indicated over 600 military bases have been superfund sites. In addition, the Formerly Used Defense Sites program has identified 5,400 military locations in the United States for cleanup. We are currently accepting cases with diagnosis of Kidney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Thyroid Disease and Thyroid cancer for people that were exposed to toxic substances at or near military bases.

December 22, 2023 – The Alarming Link Between Military Service and PFAS-Related Health Issues continues to strengthen

Additional evidence mounts supporting the link between military service and cancer from forever chemicals. The department of defense has admitted that over 700 military bases have been contaminated with PFAS chemicals. Nearly every significant military base has some level of PFAS contamination in the ground water. The most common PFAS chemicals are PFOA and PFOS, although there are estimates that over 7000 different PFAS chemicals exist. Most PFAS contamination on military bases comes from firefighting foam. Several studies have linked PFAS to cancer, thyroid disease and ulcerative colitis. Dupont has settled claims from contaminated areas with thousands of individuals and the United States Supreme Court has said that Dupont can no longer assert that PFOA does not cause certain cancers. A recent report from the World Health Organization’s International Agency on Cancer seems to remove all doubt. 30 experts from eleven countries have classified PFAS chemicals as carcinogenic. Veterans served on military bases – military bases have PFAS chemicals – PFAS chemicals cause cancer. More people should be talking about this.

December 15, 2023 – Military Base PFAS Water Contamination Extends Beyond Base Boundaries Putting Communities at Risk

It is well documented that some of the highest level of PFAS concentrations are located on military bases. A recent study focused on how much PFAS was in the water near military bases exists outside the boundary of the bases. As expected, hundreds of locations were found to have PFAS, including the most common PFAS chemicals PFOA and PFOS. The report notes that the Department of Defense will supply clean drinking water if the water supply has over 70 parts per trillion of PFAS. The EPA has indicated that the acceptable level for PFAS in drinking water is 4 parts per trillion. Some of our clients at King Law have received letters from the military indicating a high PFAS test for wells in the area of their home. It is commonly accepted that PFAS can accumulate in human blood and tissue and extended exposure can lead to kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease ulcerative colitis and pre-eclampsia. The study showing PFAS testing outside the lines of military bases can be found HERE.

November 26, 2023 – Congress expresses urgency to address PFAS contamination on military bases

The United States Senate, in a bipartisan letter has continued to apply pressure to the Department of Defense because of the PFAS contamination on US military bases. In their recent letter to Secretary of Defense a bipartisan group of senators indicated their understanding of the serious health consequences of PFAS exposure and demanded action by the military. The senators seems to show that PFAS cleanup will be a priority for the government. We are investigating cases involving PFAS exposure on military bases through both direct exposure to AFFF firefighting foam and PFAS drinking water exposure.

November 24, 2023 – The Push to make VA Disability presumptive for illnesses caused by PFAS exposure

The VA continues to send mix messages about the health affects of PFAS chemicals on military bases. The VA pays lip service to the negative health implications of PFAS exposure. The VA also says that PFAS exposure can cause illnesses depending on the toxicity level, frequency and duration of PFAS exposure. However the PFAS exposure is not a presumptive illness for VA disability benefits. The VA website on PFAS can be found here.

Several elected officials as well as various service organizations including DAV have pushed the VA to make PFAS injuries presumptive for military disability benefits. Veterans can apply for disability benefits for PFAS exposure. In addition our law firm is accepting claims nationwide to hold the chemical companies accountable for their role in the contamination. The Department of Defense has admitted to elevated levels of PFAS on over 700 military bases. We are accepting claims for Kindney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Thyroid Disease, Pre-eclampsia and Ulcerative Colitis.

November 20, 2023 – DOD Continues to Release Data Regarding PFAS Military Base Contamination Sites

The Department of Defense continues to investigate and further admit to high levels of PFAS exposure at hundreds of military bases around the world. The DOD provided the attached report to the United States House of Representatives and Senate in September detailing 707 known PFAS contamination sites. Interestingly the government relied on the EPA’s modeling to determine whether public water sources are threatened using the EPA contamination website that shows PFAS contamination sites. The EPA is proposing PFAS, PFOS, PFOA and X levels in the low single digits. Many military bases have levels hundreds or thousands of times higher than that. It seems logical to us then that the DOD is accepting what EPA is saying and will eventually admit that thousands of veterans and their families were made sick because of heightened PFAS levels on military bases. We believe that much of that PFAS contamination came from AFFF a/k/a firefighting foam. It is nearly impossible to dispute that high levels of PFAS exposure can cause Kidney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Thyroid Disease, Pre-Eclampsia and Ulcerative Colitis. Our firm is investigating these cases. We believe that there may be a PFAS lawsuit against the chemical companies that produced AFFF firefighting foam. The information coming out of the DOD makes it almost impossible to believe that a veteran was not exposed to high levels of PFAS sometime during their military service. If you or a loved one have or had Kidney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Thyroid Disease, Pre-eclampsia or Ulcerative Colitis this could be the reason why.

September 2023 – Over 4,600 military servicemembers and civilians file legal claims related to water contamination at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. The claims relate to a jet fuel spill at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Facility that reported contaminated drinking water causing significant harm.

September 2023 – In a briefing to Congress on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Groundwater, the DoD acknowledges that 707 military installations have been identified as potentially contaminated with PFAS. 245 sites are identified as being in the proximity of groundwater aquifers that serve as a “primary or secondary source of drinking water.”

August 2023 – To date, over 27 Attorney Generals have initiated lawsuits against PFAS manufacturers, and thousands of claims have been filed.

June 2023 – Multi-million dollar settlements announced against manufacturers of PFAS-containing products, including 3M and Dupont.

March 2022 – The DoD’s task force releases a progress report of the now 700 potentially contaminated military installations. Many of the sites are listed as under preliminary assessment or site inspection.

July 2021 – In a Public Outreach Presentation on PFAS by the Department of Defense, the military announces that they have invested $90 million through Fiscal Year 2021 to research the problem and expedite the cleanup process at the identified sites. An additional $70 million investment is announced through Fiscal Year 2025.

March 2020 – The Department of Defense (DoD) releases a PFAS task force progress report detailing its progress. In connection with this release, the Department identifies 651 sites being assessed for contamination.

December 2019 – The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act is signed into law prohibiting the uncontrolled release of fluorinated aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). AFFF is a fire-fighting foam used by the military since the 1970s that is known to contain forever chemicals known as PFAS.

July 2019 – The Secretary of Defense creates a task force to address the military’s use and the Department of Defense’s approach to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

March 2019 – In a hearing on the Federal response to the risks associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies 180 military locations as “superfund sites” with PFAS contamination.