LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Michigan’s fight against the persistent threat of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution is getting a two-front push, as lawmakers and agencies move to accelerate cleanup efforts on military bases and waterways.
Clean up in Michigan.
On July 15, the House Armed Services Committee moved forward a defense bill directing the Pentagon to accelerate efforts to clean up PFAS pollution at critical Michigan military installations, including Camp Grayling and the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base.
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The bill also calls for a publicly accessible dashboard that will provide ongoing updates on cleanup milestones and schedules, aiming to boost transparency for communities impacted by these persistent “forever chemicals.”
Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet), who secured the PFAS language, said the bill “puts our warfighters first,” improving safety while “delivering on our promises to military families,” according to The Detroit News. Bergman also championed continued bottled water supplies for affected areas like Grayling and pushed for stronger oversight of private military housing, including $240 million in funding for new barracks.
The Senate bill.
The Senate’s version echoes these priorities, with Michigan Sens. Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin ensuring bottled water provisions and annual PFAS cleanup reporting. The Senate bill would also create a public website tracking remediation efforts, giving Michigan residents a clearer view of the Pentagon’s cleanup progress.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has struck a deal with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to resume dredging at Grand Haven Harbor after months of delays sparked by disputes over PFAS pollution risks.
The Corps received EGLE’s approval on July 11 to dredge portions of the harbor, with work possibly starting this fall. The compromise limits dredging in areas near the known PFAS pollution source at the JB Sims Generating Station on Harbor Island. Instead, dredging will focus upstream and on sandy materials less likely to harbor contaminants.
“Dredge projects where sediment is demonstrated to have 90% or more sand are not required to complete sediment characterization for contaminants, including PFAS,” EGLE Chief of Staff Gillian Gainsley told The Detroit News.
Routine testing elsewhere.
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While the Corps is currently not testing Grand Haven sediment for PFAS due to pending federal approval, Nicholas Zager, chief of operations for the Army Corps’ Detroit District, said that such testing is routine at other ports.
“Testing sediment is part of what we do for nearly every harbor,” Zager said. “(Testing for PFAS) will bump up the price, but it won’t have a huge impact on the cost of doing business for us.”
Still, the broader requirement to test for PFAS looms as a costly hurdle for dredging across Michigan. EGLE has flagged 14 ports statewide with heightened PFAS risks, including multiple locations in Metro Detroit.