PELLSTON — The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team will host a public meeting in Pellston on Wednesday, June 4 to discuss the ongoing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance investigation in the area around the Pellston Regional Airport.
According to previous reporting, the Health Department of Northwest Michigan first reported an elevated presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) in private drinking water wells in Pellston in 2020. In the months that followed, a multi-agency effort tested about 200 water sources in the area, and installed point-of-use filters at sites with detectable levels of the chemicals.
Drinking water samples have continued to be tested and re-tested in the years since.
More: EPA takes next step in regulating PFAS with new, updated advisories
According to the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team, PFAS, sometimes called “forever chemicals,” are a large group of human-made substances used in manufacturing, firefighting and consumer products.
More: Remedies for Pellston PFAS issue may take years; some technologies ‘still being developed’
Subscribe: Check out our latest offers and get unlimited access to news about your community
According to the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART), PFAS, sometimes called “forever chemicals,” are a large group of human-made substances used in manufacturing, firefighting and consumer products.
Airports have shown to be a common source of PFAS contamination, as firefighting foams long used in fire suppression systems at airports typically contained PFAS.
In September 2024, the Pellston Regional Airport received a $700,000 federal grant to help fund the testing of soil stabilization additive to eliminate further leaching of PFAS to groundwater.
The June 4 meeting is scheduled to take place from 6-8 p.m. at Pellston Middle/High School, 172 Park St. Representatives from MPART, the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, the Village of Pellston, Emmet County and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians will be in attendance.
The presentation is expected to give an overview of the PFAS investigation in Pellston, including what data has been gathered and what the next steps are, and officials will also review information about possible health effects related to PFAS exposure. Community members will have the chance to ask questions after the presentations.
The full details from the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team are available to view at michigan.gov/pfasresponse/investigations/sites-aoi/emmet-county/pellston-regional-airport.
— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: PFAS water investigation update set for June 4, 2025 in Pellston