Military delays timelines for PFAS cleanup on bases as health concerns loom

wpde.com · Feb 17, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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WASHINGTON (SOA) — Hundreds of military bases across the US face a toxic legacy from forever chemicals that threaten the health of families. It's been years since we first exposed the contamination crisis, but now, the military is pushing back deadlines to address it.Military delays timelines for PFAS cleanup on bases as health concerns loomFrom above, Washington State's Whidbey Island is one of the more picturesque spots in this country, but on the ground, and beneath the surface, there may be a problem.The entry to Whidbey Island on the Deception Pass bridge is one of the most beautiful spots in the nation (Photo: TK Johnson)Matt George, a Navy veteran, is increasingly concerned about PFAS contamination in water on the base, that he used daily with his child."We bathed him in it, we prepared his food in it," George said. "We raised vegetables and eggs in the back, we raised chickens in the back that were all using that well water."PFAS are also known as 'forever chemicals' for their resistance to breaking down in the environment. They've been tied to cancer, immune system effects, and other health problems. Hundreds of military bases have known or suspected contamination from PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam that were used by servicemembers.Matt George's family literally lived on Easy Street, but said life has been anything but.PFAS-laden firefighting foam contaminated military bases across the country (Photo: SBG)His son has a developmental delay and his wife started having arthritic symptoms and fatigue and soreness, along with his own gastrointestinal issues, he now suspects may be tied to PFAS.George showed us his emails about his quest for answers, that is now years long.Matt George suspects PFAS is the culprit in ailments faced by his family (Photo: TK Johnson)Spotlight on America first highlighted what a watchdog group dubbed the country's "filthiest" bases more than three years ago, exposing that cleanup at those locations hadn't started as of 2022.Now, the military is pushing back its timelines to tackle the problems even more.Officials are still investigating the size and scope of the problem, according to a spreadsheet from the military that was released in Spring of 2025.At NAS Whidbey, that investigation is now estimated to take until 2038, and that's before any actual cleanup can start.That's one of the longest estimated timelines for completion, second only to the Indian Head Naval installation in Maryland, that will take until 2042.It's concerning to Jared Hayes, who tracks it all as part of his role at the Environmental Working Group.We asked what is taking the military so long.Hayes told us it's a difficult question to answer."The Pentagon, in their fiscal year 26 budget, requested $80 million less than the previous year for environmental restoration projects," he said. "As the Pentagon is understanding more about how big the problem is, how much it's going to cost, and seeing all those things increasing, they're decreasing the amount of money that they are using to deal with the problem."Jared Hayes is concerned about the delay in cleanup on military bases (Photo: SBG)In fact, the Government Accountability Office recently found that the cost of PFAS investigation and cleanup will be over $9 billion, tripling prior estimates.The slow pace of action is raising concern on Capitol Hill. In late 2025, lawmakers demanded that the military stick to its original deadlines for cleanup, citing past Spotlight on America reports about the health threats posed by PFAS contamination, especially for neighboring farms and ranches.Lawmakers cited previous Spotlight on America reporting about PFAS concerns when demanding the military return to its previous timeline (Photo: SBG)We posed a series of questions to the Department of War concerning its prioritization and timelines for addressing PFAS. It did not respond to multiple requests for comment.As the timelines are set back, the science is surging forward, according to Dr. Lisa Patel, Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University, who practices at Stanford Medicine Children's Health. She worries that exposure isn't being taken seriously enough."Every few months to a year we're learning about a new health problem that PFAS contributes to," she said. "Things like increased risk of certain types of cancer, testicular cancer, kidney cancer."Dr. Lisa Patel wants to see national leaders trust the science when it comes to the dangers of PFAS (Photo: TK Johnson)Dr. Patel cited a study finding that kids are at a higher risk for leukemia from PFAS that came out in 2025."I think it's very important to trust the science that's been done," she said. "I think it's really important to protect public health."Meantime, this year's NDAA, the annual legislation funding the military, actually allowed the DoD to keep buying that PFAS-laden firefighting foam, pushing back the deadline for phasing it out.Matt George relocated his family as a result of his concern (Photo: TK Johnson)On Whidbey Island, George said the military provided bottled water to impacted residents, but the situation still prompted him and his family to move away in search of healthier surroundings."Was my family put at greater risk because I wasn't aware of this?" he asked. "And at what point are they responsible to let the community know that there might be a danger?"They're questions he may never know the answer to. "It just would have been nice to feel like there was an actual concern from the Navy, as opposed to just trying to push it to the edges of the conversation until people had forgotten about it," he said.