Home of the 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, local military installation Fort Campbell is one of more than 50 such sites named in a military base water contamination lawsuit — one being handled by Robert King Law Firm of New York and North Carolina.
According to online documents, such legal counsel is alleging that recent discoveries indicate Fort Campbell’s water is contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl, or PFAS, substances, and that discovery of such contaminants led to a superfund site designation.
Those in Fort Campbell who have been diagnosed with cancer, or another adverse health condition, after being stationed or working there are encouraged to contact King Law for free consultation.
Known as “forever chemicals,” they are toxic to humans, animals, and the environment. They are manmade, and are often used to make products grease-proof, waterproof, nonstick, or stain and flame-resistant. Food packaging, particularly, has been a significant source of PFAS exposure.
King Law reports that a November 2023 sampling at Fort Campbell by Environmental Working Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, showed groundwater contamination. In March 2024, investigations and potential litigation initiated alleged the water contamination, and on April 9, 2024, a study released by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Water further suggested contamination from Fort Campbell — with the highest PFAS levels in Kentucky coming from Christian County.
In an online written statement, officials have since responded to the suit, noting the Army is “committed to ensuring quality drinking water is provided to its soldiers, family members, and civilians.”
The statement further claimed that proactive sampling is performed by the Army on its drinking water systems…in order to ensure PFOS/PFOA level remain below 70 parts per trillion for PFOS and PFOA, individually or combined. It is said this represents a concentration in drinking water that is not expected to produce adverse health effects if the water is consumed over an entire lifetime.
As of August 2023, those results were 33.7 parts per trillion — or less than half of the threshold — in finished water, which is both purchased by the Army and privatized by citizens, and another testing event was planned for December.
Questions can be directed to Public Affairs by phone at (270) 798-4730, as well as by email at brian.s.sipp.civ@army.mil.
In that EWG November 2023 report, PFAS/PFOS levels were determined as acceptable, but new regulations ahead from the Environmental Protection Agency will lower the threshold from 70 parts per trillion to 4 parts per trillion. Furthermore, EWG’s findings also allege that other contaminants, like chloroform and bromodichloromethane — used mostly as a flame retardant and a solvent for fats and waxes — were observed. Other chemicals detected include: hexavalent chromium, dibromochloromethane, H5 and H9 haloacetic acids, tetrachloroethylene and trihalomethanes.
According to the allegations, it is believed that the military’s widespread use of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), a PFAS-containing fire suppressant, may have contaminated the groundwater throughout the base. AFFF was used for decades on bases throughout the U.S., and areas being assessed in Fort Campbell include the current Fire Training Area (FTA) Building 7237, the former Fire Station, Fire Station #3 Building 7160, and other similar areas throughout the installation.
Health risks related to PFAS exposure include multiple forms of cancer, as well as ulcerative colitis and thyroid disease, and King Law is currently evaluating cases where individuals have been diagnosed with kidney, liver, prostate, testicular, and thyroid cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, thyroid disease and ulcerative colitis.
In an executive summary from the Army prepared May 2022, officials confirmed they are performing preliminary assessments and site inspections nationwide on both current and historical use of PFAS substances.
Clarksville Now’s Jordan Renfro first reported this news December 26.
Lawsuit: Military Base Water Contamination Lawsuit | December 2024 Update – King Law
Fort Campbell Resources
Water Quality / Storm Water :: FORT CAMPBELL
https://aec.army.mil/aec/8516/7407/7714/CampbellPASI.pdf
