The Pease International Tradeport in New Hampshire, located on the site of a former Air Force base, has undergone environmental cleanup efforts for contamination found on the site. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were found in fire training area and one of the water supply wells. The EPA issued an order requiring treatment of the contaminated well. Testing of local residents found elevated levels of PFCs in some, though the long term health effects are unknown. The Air Force continues monitoring and addressing any private wells above EPA health standards.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN UP at PEASE TRADEPORT
Summary of Haven Well and PFC Investigations
SUSAN CHAMBERLIN, Restoration Advisory Board, Community Representative
Pease International Tradeport (Tradeport) is located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on
the site of the former Pease Air Force Base. There are 250 businesses, public offices,
restaurants and child care facilities, employing more than 9,500 individuals, located at
the Tradeport.
The United States Air Force leads the organization of the clean up together with the
federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state New Hampshire
Department of Environmental Services (NHDES). The military base operated from 1956
to1991. See www.peasedev.org.
In 1990 the federal government listed the Pease Air Force Base as a priority hazardous
waste site requiring clean up.
In 2013, sampling work at the Air Force’s Fire Department Training Area-2 (Site 8)
detected Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), two of
a family of compounds collectively referred to as perfluorochemicals (PFCs). PFCs are
man-made chemicals that have been used for decades in the production of products
that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. PFCs are commonly used in the
manufacturing of nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpets, fabric coatings, some food
packaging (especially microwave popcorn bags and fast food wrappers), firefighting
foam, and in many other industrial applications. Many chemicals in this group, including
PFOS and PFOA, are present in the environment, but they do not break down easily.
The EPA classifies PFCs as “contaminants of emerging concern” under its Provisional
Health Advisory (PHA) monitoring program for unregulated drinking water contaminants.
The health advisories provide information on pollutants that are not legally prohibited
under federal law, specifically the Safe Water Drinking Act, but are known to be present
in water supplies from human activity.
Additional testing of the Pease Water Supply Wells took place in April of 2014. The
PFOS level in the Haven Well was above the EPA PHA. The Haven Well was shut down
and the Air Force began to investigate the magnitude and extent of PFCs in site
groundwater and off-site neighboring private water supply wells.
In 2015, the EPA issued an Administrative Order to the Air Force under the Safe
Drinking Water Act to treat the Haven Well. The Air Force began to investigate and
remediate PFC sources, restore the Pease aquifer and monitor and protect residential
and water supply wells. The Air Force is currently conducting work to satisfy the
requirements and schedule specified in the Order.

2. New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) offered testing for
people who consumed contaminated pease water. In March 2015 Dr. Jose Montero,
Director of Public Health at DHHS stated in a press release that, "We are responding to
the public request to know more about the level of PFOS and PFOA in their blood.
Unfortunately, no one knows what a typical level is or if these chemicals harm a
person's health. Most people in the United States have some level of these chemicals in
their blood because PFCs are so pervasive in our environment. “ Testing began in April
2015 and ran through October 2015.
In June 2016 DHHS issued its report of the blood testing program. http://
www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/documents/pease-pfc-blood-testing.pdf. While elevated levels of
the PFCS were found, the long term health effects of elevated levels are currently
unknown. See DHHS Division of Public Health Services, “Pease PFC Blood Testing
Program April 2015 - October 2015 (June 16, 2016).
As of July 2016, Air Force Representative and Restoration Advisory Board Co-Chair
Peter Forbes stated that it was determined that there are a total of 3 private wells and 1
seasonal well above the health advisory level for PFOS and PFOA in the Portsmouth-
Newington community. According to Mr. Forbes, the Air Force continues to monitor the
Pease region for impacts by PFCs in the area and if testing confirms levels above the
EPA health advisory levels, the Air Force will take immediate action to ensure people
have access to drinking water below health advisory levels. To date, the Haven well
remains closed.