Congress Urged to Address PFAS Pollution in Great Lakes Region

Communities surrounding the Great Lakes face serious threats from PFAS contamination, pushing lawmakers to restore stricter federal regulations and enhance cleanup efforts. A virtual congressional briefing by the Northeast-Midwest Institute highlighted major pollution sources, including Michigan’s Wurtsmith Air Force Base. PFAS—used in firefighting foams and cookware—are accumulating in water, fish, and people, causing health risks like cancer and immune damage. Michigan alone has 11,000 contaminated sites.

A bipartisan PFAS Task Force and the proposed reauthorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative aim to counter recent EPA delays and rollbacks on PFAS water standards. These “forever chemicals” persist in the environment, impacting water, air, and food chains, and especially harming vulnerable groups like Indigenous and immigrant communities reliant on fishing. Protecting the Great Lakes is vital, as they provide drinking water to over 30 million people and support diverse ecosystems.

04-06-2025