Outrage in Newburgh after PFAS cleanup at Stewart base delayed decades
Newburgh residents, clean water advocates and elected officials are calling on the Department of Defense to restore PFAS remediation efforts after a major delay in cleanup at Stewart Air National Guard Base.
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An ongoing problem with PFAS contamination, commonly known as "forever chemicals," could take decades more to address in Orange County. That finding is detailed in reports cited by clean water advocates and elected officials representing the Newburgh area.
Washington Lake has not been used as a water source for the City of Newburgh since 2016 because the contamination that has been reported to be linked to firefighting foam used at the nearby Stewart Air National Guard Base.
Advocates pushed back against news that the Department of Defense has delayed cleanup efforts at Stewart and more than 200 other military sites across the country for many more years at a rally held Friday morning near the former water supply.
According to advocates, the study for Stewart's cleanup plan was expected to be completed this month but has now been delayed until 2051.
Jennifer Rawlison, a lifelong Newburgh resident and clean water advocate with the Newburgh Clean Water Project, criticized the delay.
"It's unacceptable. They need to reconsider," she said.
"It's really just egregious here how they are kicking the can so far down the road," said Jeremy Cherson, with Riverkeeper.
Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan led the rally after calling on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to restore PFAS remediation efforts.
"The message point blank is that you are literally poisoning my constituents, and I am not going to let you get away with that," the congressman said.
Ryan said that PFAS contamination is affecting many more people.
"This is a national crisis. This is happening in communities across the country where their waters are being poisoned, literally. And to not address that is wrong, but to delay it is even more wrong," Ryan said.
News 12 has covered the PFAS issue in Newburgh for many years. PFAS are commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" because they are difficult to break down and create concern because they can ultimately cause health issues.
News 12 reached out to the Department of Defense for comment and has not yet received a response.
