By Spectrum News Staff | April 11, 2018 @11:15 AM – In an effort to support communities still recovering from PFOS contamination — Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand have secured millions of dollars that will go toward PFOS research and clean-up efforts.
The New York senators say the recently passed Omnibus Bill authorizes $63.8 million that will go towards communities impacted by PFOS and PFOA contamination, including Newburgh.
Roughly $43 million will specifically go to the Air Force Environmental Restoration fund, which gives the Department of Defense resources to identify, investigate and clean up former waste disposal sites on military properties.
The CDC will receive $10 million to study the health effects of PFOS, and another $10 million will go toward health screenings related to contaminated water.
In a statement announcing the secured funding, Senator Gillibrand said in part:
“It is unacceptable that New Yorkers in some communities have had to worry about whether their drinking water will make them sick. These funds will help with these recovery efforts and will help uncover the full extent to which the contamination is affecting the water and health of New Yorkers.”