In 2021, a Relative Risk Site Evaluation was conducted at Cheyenne Air National Guard Base to determine which locations have been contaminated by firefighting foam. In this evaluation, the Department of Defense (DoD) looked at places where firefighting foam may have been spilled or released during drills and training. Seven sites were identified to have a High Relative Risk of contamination, including the Former and Current Fire Stations, the Warren Fire Station, Building 35 (Corrosion Control), the Stormwater Retention Pond, the Fuel System Maintenance Dock, and the Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants (POL) Facility. When the Preliminary Assessment was conducted in 2021, the Current Fire Station still had over 2,000 gallons of firefighting foam held in storage.
What dangerous contaminants are present at Cheyenne Air National Guard Base?
The Environmental Working Group has listed Cheyenne Municipal Airport as one of the top 100 installations with the highest levels of PFAS contamination in groundwater. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals that have been widely used in kitchenware, fabrics, adhesives, and many other products before their health consequences were revealed. Unfortunately, the Department of Defense started using a type of firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals in the 1970s. This foam has been used for decades in firefighting training, emergency response activities.
The maximum level of PFAS detected at the location was about 94,400 ppt of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid). The Maximum Contaminant Level for these types of PFAS is at 4 ppt, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s 2024 guidelines. These are other PFAS compounds that were detected at the site:
What health conditions can be linked to PFAS exposure at Cheyenne Air National Guard Base?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known for interfering with different systems in the human body. These chemicals accumulate in the blood, potentially altering the immune system or disrupting thyroid function. While many of the serious consequences of PFAS are still underexplored by researchers, these chemicals have already been linked to an increased risk of different cancers, such as kidney, testicular, and liver cancer. These are the linkable cancers and illnesses that have been strongly associated with PFAS exposure in military bases, including Cheyenne Air National Guard Base:
