The Portland Air National Guard Base (ANGB) has a long-standing history of strategic air defense. However, this history also comes with decades of handling flammable liquids, such as oil and aircraft fuel, where aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) was most likely used. This foam contained PFAS, and long-term exposure to these toxic substances has severe consequences for military personnel and veterans. Additionally, these chemicals seep into soil and groundwater, affecting family members of Portland Air National Guard Base personnel and civilian residents who live nearby.
In 2021, a Relative Risk Site Evaluation (RRSE) report for the Superfund administrative records was released. This investigation is separate from the PFAS testing conducted at the Portland International Airport (PDX) in 2017.
What dangerous contaminants are present at the Portland Air National Guard Base?
Superfund sites were tested for three types of PFAS chemicals present in AFFF. These chemicals are PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), and PFBS (perfluorobutane sulfonate). PFOA had been classified as a human carcinogen, while PFOS had been classified as a possible human carcinogen.
The site evaluation report for Portland ANGB revealed that significant levels of PFAS contaminants were detected in at least ten locations within the base. Three of these areas were categorized as “High” in Contaminant Hazard Factor (CHF) categories, particularly the New Fire Department Building, Burn Pit, and the Former Air National Guard Fire Station. All of these areas were potential hotspots for firefighting activities involving AFFF. Fire training exercises were conducted at the burn pit from 1957 to 1978, where gallons of flammable liquids were burned each year for fire extinguishing exercises using AFFF.
At the New Fire Department Building that was built in 2005, AFFF concentrates were stored in fire response vehicles. Two trucks could hold 25 gallons of AFFF, while another could store up to 250 gallons. The Portland ANGB’s fire department also had a foam trailer capable of carrying 2,000 gallons of AFFF. Once AFFF was used in fire training exercises, PFAS chemicals leached into groundwater and soil, contaminating nearby areas and exposing workers and residents to increased risk of various illnesses.
Health conditions related to PFAS exposure at the Portland Air National Guard Base
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have caught public attention after numerous studies revealed their negative impacts on health and the environment. PFAS have been linked to severe conditions such as kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and liver cancer. With strong evidence of PFAS toxicity, victims of toxic exposure at military bases can file PFAS exposure claims if they have been diagnosed with the following:
If you are military personnel or a veteran who was stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, you may file a PFAS exposure claim to recover compensation If you lived within one mile of a military base as a veteran’s family member or a civilian resident, you may qualify for a PFAS exposure claim. Our attorneys here at ELG Law are willing to assist you in filing claims. You will not be required to pay any fees until we have recovered monetary compensation for you.
