Pentagon Plan Could Leave Hudson Valley With Tainted Water

A Hudson Valley congressman says a new Pentagon proposal could delay PFAS cleanup efforts by years.

Hudson Valley Congressman Pat Ryan is demanding the continued cleanup of PFAS contamination.

Rep. Pat Ryan Demands Pentagon Reverse Course On Forever Chemical Cleanup Near Newburgh

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Ryan is mad at a Department of Defense proposal to roll back reporting requirements for those chemicals at the country's military installations.

Ryan says this Pentagon plan could leave Newburgh families waiting decades longer for clean drinking water.

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The Iraq War combat veteran and the first West Point graduate to ever represent the Academy in Congress sent a forceful letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding the Department of Defense abandon plans to roll back the cleanup of toxic "forever chemicals" at military installations.

PFAS are man-made chemicals that don't break down in the environment or the human body. They've been linked to cancer and a host of other serious health problems like high blood pressure and decreased fertility.

"Every American — especially our kids — deserves to have clean drinking water," Ryan said. "Children in Newburgh still don't have clean drinking water. They deserve better."

It's been a crisis in Newburgh for decades.

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"For three decades, the City of Newburgh has paid the price for military PFAS contamination," Jennifer Rawlison of the Newburgh Clean Water Project said."Our water was poisoned without consent. Today, our families and veterans are paying with their health — facing chronic illness and cancer."

According to Ryan, the Department of Defense recently submitted a legislative package on May 29 that attempted to eliminate key PFAS reporting requirements as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.

Ryan believes this proposal will delay cleanup efforts at nearly 200 military sites nationwide, pushing some cleanup efforts as much as 20 years.

In his letter, Ryan laid out a clear list of demands for the Pentagon, including:

• Withdraw the rollback proposals entirely
• Fully comply with existing PFAS reporting requirements
• Accelerate cleanup timelines at the most dangerous sites
• Provide full transparency on how cleanup funding is being spent