Lubbock was announced on Thursday as an area to be assessed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for possible human exposure to PFAS.  PFAS are polyfluoroalkyl substances.  

The Environmental Protection Agency said, “There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans.”

The EPA website also said possible health problems could include reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects.  Not all PFAS are the same.

The CDC assessment of Lubbock and other communities will begin this year and run through 2020.  The CDC “will look at the relationship between PFAS exposure and health outcomes.”

The list provided by CDC is: 

  • Berkeley County (WV) near Shepherd Field Air National Guard Base
  • El Paso County (CO) near Peterson Air Force Base
  • Fairbanks North Star Borough (AK) near Eielson Air Force Base
  • Hampden County (MA) near Barnes Air National Guard Base
  • Lubbock County (TX) near Reese Technology Center
  • Orange County (NY) near Stewart Air National Guard Base
  • New Castle County (DE) near New Castle Air National Guard Base
  • Spokane County (WA) near Fairchild Air Force Base

Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis was not on the list.  A 2017 study released by the air force said 21 “potential” PFAS release sites were found.  Ten were thought to be worthy of further inspection. 

On February 19, the website nmpoliticalreport.com said PFAS contamination forced Art Schaap to euthanize all the cattle from his dairy.  The cows, the milk, the dairy, even Mr. Schaap himself, were all contaminated by PFAS from Cannon AFB according to the article.

Both Cannon AFB and the former Reese AFB sit atop the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer is a contiguous underground body of water that is found within eight states.  

The CDC also said on Thursday, “The primary goal of these exposure assessments is to provide information to communities about levels of PFAS in their bodies. The results of these assessments will help communities better understand the extent of their environmental exposures to PFAS.”