US air force avoids PFAS water cleanup, citing supreme court’s Chevron ruling

August 12, 2024

Read the full article by Tom Perkins (The Guardian)

"The US air force is refusing to comply with an order to clean drinking water it polluted in Tucson, Arizona, claiming federal regulators lack authority after the conservative-dominated US supreme court overturned the “Chevron doctrine”. Air force bases contaminated the water with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” and other dangerous compounds.

Though former US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials and legal experts who reviewed the air force’s claim say the Chevron doctrine ruling probably would not apply to the order, the military’s claim that it would represents an early indication of how polluters will wield the controversial court decision to evade responsibility.

It appears the air force is essentially attempting to expand the scope of the court’s ruling to thwart regulatory orders not covered by the decision, said Deborah Ann Sivas, director of the Stanford University Environmental Law Clinic."

Location:

• North AmericaUS
• North AmericaUSArizona

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• SourcesAirports
• SourcesMilitary bases
• Remediation
• Filtration
• Impact
• ImpactDrinking water
• ImpactDrinking waterPrivate wells
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses