Coping with Stress of Environmental Contamination
Technical Review Evaluating Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) in Drinking Water Wells near the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda (Iosco County), Michigan
October 24, 2019 – There will be an Environmental Rules Review Committee meeting on Thursday, October 31, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Lansing. Click here to view the fill agenda. Click here to view the full rules package.
May 24, 2019 – Click to view a PFAS Foam Fact Sheet.
May 23, 2019 – Click here to view the “Avoid Foam” signs posted on Van Etten Lake.
May 22, 2019 – Click to view the “Van Etten Lake Water and Foam Letter Health Consultation”.
April 23, 2019 – Click to view the PFAS Resolution.
April 18, 2019 – Senator Peters Announces Air Force Official to Visit Iosco County on April 24, 2019. Click here to view the full press release
April 9, 2019 – “Congressman Kildee urges Congress to more robustly fund PFAS chemical contamination cleanup”. Click here to view the full press release.
March 26, 2019- Click to view the “Gov. Whitmer Directs MDEQ To File a Request for Rulemaking to Establish PFAS Drinking Water Standards” press release.
February 25, 2019 – Click to view the “Michigan Completes the First Statewide Study of PFAS in Water Supply” press release.
December 19, 2018 – Click to view “Scientific Evidence and Recommendations for Managing PFAS Contamination in Michigan”
September 5, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Updates for the weeks of: August 17, 2018, August 24, 2018 and August 31, 2018.
August 20, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Updates for the weeks of: July 27, 2018, August 3, 2018, and August 10, 2018.
August 16, 2018 – MDHHS and Kent County Health Department release PFAS related-cancer incidence report for Kent County. Click to view the full press release.
July 31, 2018 – ATSDR invites public to comment on the re-evaluation of historical VOCs in drinking water for the Former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Click to view the full press release. To view the report, click here.
July 31, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending July 20, 2018.
July 17, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending July 6, 2018
July 17, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending July 13, 2018
July 9, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending June 29, 2018
June 26, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending June 22, 2018
June 19, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending June 15, 2018
June 8, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending June 1, 2018
May 23, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending May 18, 2018
May 17, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending May 11, 2018.
May 8, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending May 4, 2018.
May 8, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee Update for the week ending April 27, 2018
April 24, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update for the week ending April 20, 2018
April 17, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update for the week ending April 13, 2018
April 10, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update for the week ending April 6, 2018
March 30, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update for the week ending March 30, 2018
March 26, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update for the week ending March 23, 2018.
March 19, 2017 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update for the week ending March 16, 2018.
March 9, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update foe the week ending March 9, 2018.
March 2, 2018 – Local Health PFAS Advisory Committee update for the week ending March 2, 2018.
June 27, 2018 – Recently the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released the Toxicological Profile for Perfluoroalkyls Draft for Public Comment. Click to view the report.
May 14, 2018 – PUBLIC NOTICE: The Air Force Civil Engineer Center will begin quarterly drinking water sampling this month for potable wells near the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base to determine if PFOS/PFOA contaminants are present in drinking water sources. Click to see if your property qualifies for the program.
April 11, 2018 – District Health Department No. 2 recently learned a monitoring well on Colbath Road tested at a significantly higher level above 70 ppt and the DEQ is making a plan to test residential wells in the area. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services states that a re-sampling effort is underway for some wells in the Colbath neighborhood and wells in the Pinecrest neighborhood.
February 6, 2018 – DEQ has informed District Health Department No. 2 that AECOM is planning to sample monitoring wells installed by the DEQ in the following areas on Tuesday (2/6/18) and Wednesday (2/7/18) weather permitting: Alexander Road, Colbath Road, Loud Drive area, Interlake, and River Road area. Results of these smaples are expected in four (4) to six (6) weeks.
January 11, 2018 – Area residents are invited to attend a town hall meeting concerning the Alpena CRTC recent drinking water well testing. Multiple agencies will be on hand to present the latest information and answer any questions. The town hall meeting will be held at the Alpena Training Center: Collins Center, 5884 A Street in Alpena. There will be an informational open house beginning at 4:30 p.m. with the town hall program beginning at 6:00.
December 6, 2017 – To view PFAS updates from the office of Congressman Dan Kildee click here.
“The Defense Department must set up and do more to address PFC’s and other dangerous chemicals that have contaminated drinking water at Wurtsmith Air Force Base and other military installations across the country. Conducting a health study is the first step to determine the impact of these harmful substances and ultimately ensure that veterans and anyone exposed gets the care they need.”
– Congressman Dan Kildee
November 6, 2017 – To view the Oscoda WAFB Groundwater Contamination Guidance for Healthcare Providers document, click here.
October 16, 2017 – Please Note: Area residents are invited to attend a town hall meeting concerning the Alpena CRTC ground water testing. Multiple agencies will be on hand to present the latest information and answer any questions. Five (5) test wells in Alpena, Michigan at the Michigan National Guard Base have tested positive for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. At this time, no residential drinking water wells near the Base have been tested, however, plans for testing a nearby lake and river are being developed. The town hall meeting will be held at the Alpena Training Center: Collins Center, 5884 A Street in Alpena. There will be an informational open house beginning at 5:30 p.m. with the town hall program beginning at 6:30 p.m.
September 22, 2017 – PLEASE NOTE: Out of an abundance of caution going into the holiday weekend, District Health Department No. 2, and the Michigan Departments of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Environmental Quality (DEQ) are recommending that visitors to Van Etten Lake avoid ingesting foam that may occur at beaches or on the shorelines. Skin contact with the foam is not considered to be of concern. Previous testing of the foam from Van Etten Lake did not show polyfluoroalkly substance (PFAS) levels that would be expected to harm human health. As a result of additional testing of foam, higher levels of PFAS have been found which require additional testing and analysis. For more information about shoreline foam, please see this report from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality or visit the MDEQ website at www.michigan.gov/deq. Residents with questions or concerns may call MDHHS at 1-800-648-6942.
Senate Bill 950 Recently, Governor Snyder signed Senate Bill 950 which was introduced by Senator Stamas. To read the bill in full, click here.
April 6, 2016 – United States Representative Dan Kildee was in town for an update regarding the situation concerning PFC’s in certain groundwater drinking wells surrounding the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Emphasis for action at the federal level to remediate the situation was discussed at length during the meeting.
April 6, 2016 – District Health Department No. 2 learned the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will conduct further testing for PFC’s in well groundwater around Van Ettan Lake. The MDEQ will also collect samples on the Former Wurtsmith Air Force Base and results will be available in two (2) weeks.
Oscoda Township PFCs Contamination in Specifically Tested Groundwater Wells
- Oscoda Township Municipal water is safe to drink and cook with according to The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
- The advisory to seek an alternate water supply applies to homes and businesses surrounding the former Air Base whose drinking water wells have tested positive for PFC contamination.
- Residents affected by the Health Advisory (Specifically those who had well water testing and laboratory results from MDEQ) may contact the Iosco Branch of District Health Department No. 2 for information on available resources to access municipal drinking water. Please call 989-362-6183 Ext. 1506.