New interim PFAS cleanup actions will address high levels of contamination in Clarks Marsh and the Au Sable River

JANUARY 19, 2024

OSCODA, Mich. - The Great Lakes PFAS Action Network (GLPAN) today hailed an announcement by the Department of Defense (DoD) of two new interim remedies to address high levels of PFAS contamination in Clarks Marsh and the Au Sable River in Oscoda. Clarks Marsh is one of the most highly contaminated PFAS areas in the Great Lakes Region, and both Clarks Marsh and the Au Sable are subject to multiple public health warnings advising against the consumption of fish, venison and other wildlife.

“We are pleased that the Pentagon has taken this important step to address PFAS contamination at Wurtsmith, and we are thankful for the continued support of the Michigan congressional delegation, President Biden and Governor Whitmer in this collaborative effort,” said Tony Spaniola, co-chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. “These interim remedies were brought to DoD by Oscoda community experts, and this announcement is a testament to the dedicated advocacy of members of the community, including Need Our Water (NOW) Oscoda and the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. We are especially appreciative of the efforts of Senators Stabenow and Peters, and U.S Representatives Kildee, Bergman and Slotkin.”

Wurtsmith is the first U.S. military PFAS site in the nation, and after years of delay and inaction, Oscoda community members persuaded Pentagon leadership last summer to issue a national policy directing the implementation of interim remedies at all PFAS military sites in the country. In August 2023, Defense Under Secretary William LaPlante selected Wurtsmith as the first place to implement the national policy, when he announced two interim remedy pump-and-treat systems for Van Etten Lake in Oscoda. The newly announced interim remedies for Clarks Marsh and the Au Sable River will help to serve as a model for other Defense Department actions at Wurtsmith and other installations across the country.