Massachusetts/New England Project:
The Pentagon: Exposing the Hidden Polluter of Water
Potential MassachusettsTeam members: Marguerite Adelman (WILPF and People for Peace and Security), Pat Elder (Military Poisons),
A New England tour on PFAS contamination of water would focus on the military since many groups don’t generally highlight the military contribution to this problem.
Under the new standards, the state will require polluters to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater if the total concentration of six chemicals in PFAS reaches 20 parts per trillion. Regulators announced the same limit for drinking water. Those rules must still go through a public comment period and could be revised. They’re slated to take effect in the middle of next year. Under those rules, all public water systems — those that serve more than 25 people every day for at least two months a year — will be required to test for the six chemicals. If they detect PFAS concentrations exceeding the new standard, they would be required to alert their consumers and take a range of
action to remove the contamination.
Project Goals: Overarching goal for 4-state project: We will work toward creating a PFAS free world where
people have the right to clean water, where their health is protected, where social and
environmental justice issues are recognized, and state and national legislation is used to protect
people’s water rights.
We will work to highlight the hidden role that the military plays in poisoning our water, especially
PFAS contamination.
We will educate the public, making information on military contamination with PFAS easily accessible and understandable to Massachusetts residents, and collaborating with environmental, water, health, social justice, and peace organizations to mobilize grass-roots, intersectional action advocating for the establishment of the lowest maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for PFAS
contamination by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Defense (DoD).
We will collaborate to support Massachusetts proposed legislation that furthers PFAS/PFOA regulations, monitoring, cleanup, compliance, etc.
Massachusetts Geographic Focus: From EWG PFAS map military sites
Joint Base Cape Cod in Barnstable County –High Levels
Rehoboth NG Site in Bristol County
Naval Air Station South Weymouth – Really High Levels
Hanscom Air Force Base in Middlesex County – High Levels
Bedford Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Bedford
Fort Devens in Devens – High Levels
Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee – Really High Levels
Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield –High Levels
Massachusetts Project Strategies:
We will use the following effective and proven strategies to address the problem: Organizing and convening at least three public programs, hosted by WILPF and supporting groups: Weymouth, Westover, and Cape Cod/Devens/Barnes?
Publicizing our work through editorials, newspaper, radio, and television programming.
Educating the public on the military use of AFFF foam, its contamination of our water and
ecosystems, and its toxic effects on health.
Creating a well-researched educational handout for Massachusetts residents on PFAS and military contamination along with resources to consult and actions people can take.
Creating a Massachusetts Military Poisons webpage.
Mobilizing the public and impacted communities to demand the lowest maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFASs, in particular PFOA/PFOS. Collaborating with Massachusetts environmental, water, social justice, health, and peace groups, as well as groups in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Measurable Outcomes for Massachusetts:
1. Meet with 3 or more environmental, water, health, and peace groups to inform them of WILPF US’
work on PFAS contaminants and the need for a grass-roots, intersectional movement.
2. Identify and work with 2 or more communities with potential health impacts, helping individuals to
tell their stories.
3. Hold three public programs— Weymouth, Westover, and Cape Cod/Devens/Barnes?
4. Reach 300+ individuals directly through educational presentations and educational materials and
many more people indirectly through media coverage, website information (count visits), Op-Eds,
etc.
5. Publish 2 Op-Eds, get 2 stories featured in newspapers, and appear on 2 radio/television
programs.
Project Plan--Timelines: The project will begin in December of 2020 and will continue through
December of 2021.
December of 2020 to April of 2021
Create a Massachusetts webpage/database of military PFAS contamination. Work with Massachusetts peace, environmental, water, health, and social justice groups to organize two major educational events.
Work with 2 or more communities near military bases experiencing groundwater contamination
and potential health impacts.
Research, write, and finalize educational handouts for distribution.
Develop media, print and on-line/radio, and social media campaign to launch in April of 2021; contact environmental, investigative, and health journalists.
Arrange venue and speakers for three public events: Weymouth, Westover, and Cape Cod/Devens/Barnes?
Contact state-elected representatives and agencies with responsibility for water quality regulation and public health to learn status of regulations, testing, and lawsuits. May and June 2021
Launch media campaign.
Follow up supporting groups to finalize the community outreach and publicity for the two scheduled programs.
Finalize plans for the scheduled programs in May or early June. July to December of 2021
Collect data on media coverage, attendance at presentations, etc.
Compile final report on this project for funder(s). Grant Monies and Staffing: Grant monies can be used to pay Pat Elder for his work on a website and to be a speaker, as well as to pay others for roles that they might take in this project. We can use it for printing, advertising of programs, meetings, etc. It would be advisable to hire a grant coordinator for the four-state region…although this could be done by a volunteer. WILPF US will write grants, using the Peace Development Fund as our Fiscal Sponsor in order to support our work. A budget will be developed when we have plans developed for each state. What other groups should be involved:
Veterans for Peace?
Others?
Affordable PFAS Testing: $75
https://freshwaterfuture.org/community-resources/water-testing/
The Pentagon: Exposing the Hidden Polluter of Water
Potential MassachusettsTeam members: Marguerite Adelman (WILPF and People for Peace and Security), Pat Elder (Military Poisons),
A New England tour on PFAS contamination of water would focus on the military since many groups don’t generally highlight the military contribution to this problem.
Under the new standards, the state will require polluters to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater if the total concentration of six chemicals in PFAS reaches 20 parts per trillion. Regulators announced the same limit for drinking water. Those rules must still go through a public comment period and could be revised. They’re slated to take effect in the middle of next year. Under those rules, all public water systems — those that serve more than 25 people every day for at least two months a year — will be required to test for the six chemicals. If they detect PFAS concentrations exceeding the new standard, they would be required to alert their consumers and take a range of
action to remove the contamination.
Project Goals: Overarching goal for 4-state project: We will work toward creating a PFAS free world where
people have the right to clean water, where their health is protected, where social and
environmental justice issues are recognized, and state and national legislation is used to protect
people’s water rights.
We will work to highlight the hidden role that the military plays in poisoning our water, especially
PFAS contamination.
We will educate the public, making information on military contamination with PFAS easily accessible and understandable to Massachusetts residents, and collaborating with environmental, water, health, social justice, and peace organizations to mobilize grass-roots, intersectional action advocating for the establishment of the lowest maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for PFAS
contamination by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Defense (DoD).
We will collaborate to support Massachusetts proposed legislation that furthers PFAS/PFOA regulations, monitoring, cleanup, compliance, etc.
Massachusetts Geographic Focus: From EWG PFAS map military sites
Joint Base Cape Cod in Barnstable County –High Levels
Rehoboth NG Site in Bristol County
Naval Air Station South Weymouth – Really High Levels
Hanscom Air Force Base in Middlesex County – High Levels
Bedford Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Bedford
Fort Devens in Devens – High Levels
Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee – Really High Levels
Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield –High Levels
Massachusetts Project Strategies:
We will use the following effective and proven strategies to address the problem: Organizing and convening at least three public programs, hosted by WILPF and supporting groups: Weymouth, Westover, and Cape Cod/Devens/Barnes?
Publicizing our work through editorials, newspaper, radio, and television programming.
Educating the public on the military use of AFFF foam, its contamination of our water and
ecosystems, and its toxic effects on health.
Creating a well-researched educational handout for Massachusetts residents on PFAS and military contamination along with resources to consult and actions people can take.
Creating a Massachusetts Military Poisons webpage.
Mobilizing the public and impacted communities to demand the lowest maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFASs, in particular PFOA/PFOS. Collaborating with Massachusetts environmental, water, social justice, health, and peace groups, as well as groups in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Measurable Outcomes for Massachusetts:
1. Meet with 3 or more environmental, water, health, and peace groups to inform them of WILPF US’
work on PFAS contaminants and the need for a grass-roots, intersectional movement.
2. Identify and work with 2 or more communities with potential health impacts, helping individuals to
tell their stories.
3. Hold three public programs— Weymouth, Westover, and Cape Cod/Devens/Barnes?
4. Reach 300+ individuals directly through educational presentations and educational materials and
many more people indirectly through media coverage, website information (count visits), Op-Eds,
etc.
5. Publish 2 Op-Eds, get 2 stories featured in newspapers, and appear on 2 radio/television
programs.
Project Plan--Timelines: The project will begin in December of 2020 and will continue through
December of 2021.
December of 2020 to April of 2021
Create a Massachusetts webpage/database of military PFAS contamination. Work with Massachusetts peace, environmental, water, health, and social justice groups to organize two major educational events.
Work with 2 or more communities near military bases experiencing groundwater contamination
and potential health impacts.
Research, write, and finalize educational handouts for distribution.
Develop media, print and on-line/radio, and social media campaign to launch in April of 2021; contact environmental, investigative, and health journalists.
Arrange venue and speakers for three public events: Weymouth, Westover, and Cape Cod/Devens/Barnes?
Contact state-elected representatives and agencies with responsibility for water quality regulation and public health to learn status of regulations, testing, and lawsuits. May and June 2021
Launch media campaign.
Follow up supporting groups to finalize the community outreach and publicity for the two scheduled programs.
Finalize plans for the scheduled programs in May or early June. July to December of 2021
Collect data on media coverage, attendance at presentations, etc.
Compile final report on this project for funder(s). Grant Monies and Staffing: Grant monies can be used to pay Pat Elder for his work on a website and to be a speaker, as well as to pay others for roles that they might take in this project. We can use it for printing, advertising of programs, meetings, etc. It would be advisable to hire a grant coordinator for the four-state region…although this could be done by a volunteer. WILPF US will write grants, using the Peace Development Fund as our Fiscal Sponsor in order to support our work. A budget will be developed when we have plans developed for each state. What other groups should be involved:
Veterans for Peace?
Others?
Affordable PFAS Testing: $75
https://freshwaterfuture.org/community-resources/water-testing/
