PFAS cleanup at Joint Base Cape Cod hindered by lack of funding

By Susan Vaughn | Cape Code Times | April 6, 2026

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"Contractors are still cleaning up and monitoring environmental contamination from PFAS and military munitions at Joint Base Cape Cod, but expanding the scope of work is unlikely due to a lack of money, a consultant says. At a virtual meeting of the base cleanup team on March 25, Jonathan Davis, of Cherokee Federal, the Air Force contractor, presented updates on the probe of groundwater and soil contamination from PFAS, known as forever chemicals because they remain in the environment. Money is limited for cleanup at the main flight line operations area (essentially the parking lot for aircraft) and spills from tanker truck rollovers, he said.

The squeeze on funding does not mean the program’s federal congressional allotment was cut, but because of stepped up cleanup requirements due to a better understanding of environmental impacts nationwide at airfields and commercial and military airports, Carl Champion, restoration program manager for the Air Force sections, said in a phone call March 31. The Joint Base cleanup is still getting its annual funds from the Defense Environmental Restoration Account, he said, but a $300 million shortfall in the Air Force’s extra allotments means there isn't money to cover the expanded requirements."