Department of Defense needs to stop flow of pollution from Stewart ANG Base

Today, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney sent a letter to the Department of Defense, requesting the Department to agree to take an “interim remedial action” at Stewart Air National Guard base to filter the largest source of PFOS-polluted water before it leaves the base.

Dan Shapley, Riverkeeper Water Quality Program Director, said:

“Riverkeeper has been calling for action to stop the flow of PFOS pollution from the Stewart Air National Guard Base since May 2016 – eight months ago. Newburgh and the state took the responsible step of installing a mobile filter at Washington Lake in September, so that the city doesn’t cause pollution downstream as it draws down its reservoir. The Department of Defense’s refusal to take the same action upstream, at the major source of pollution, is irresponsible, and has resulted in continued pollution of the streams that feed the city’s reservoir and the Moodna Creek watershed. We are thankful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Maloney for calling on the Department of Defense to act – and act now.”

Note for reporters: Though the city’s reservoir remains polluted, PFOS-contaminated water is not reaching tap water. Alternate supplies of water have been providing water to city residents and businesses since Spring of 2016.

For more information visit our information page on the Newburgh Drinking Water Crisis.

Contact: Leah Rae, Riverkeeper Media Specialist, (914) 715-6821, [email protected].