How many lies can you count?
Dog and Pony Show by Hawaii Army National Guard
on PFAS contamination demonstrates the moral turpitude,
incompetence, and callousness of the military command.
Army discloses total PFAS at 1,558 ppt in a groundwater
plume heading in the direction of private homes with
drinking water wells.
By Pat Elder
March 2, 2023
Players, pictured from the left -
Maj. (Ret) Jeffrey D. Hickman, Director, Public Affairs – State of Hawaii Department of Defense
Mr. Rob Halla, Army National Guard Program Manager, Army National Guard Installations and Environment
Lt. Col. Brian Hunsaker, U.S. Army National Guard
Mr. Rob Halla, Army National Guard Program Manager, Army National Guard Installations and Environment
Sven Lindstrom, Hawaii Department of Health, Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response (HEER) Office
Diana Felton (Not pictured) MD, State Toxicologist, Hawaii Department of Health Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response (HEER) Office
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Following are samples of the dialogue between the command of the Hawaii Army National Guard and the public during a meeting on PFAS at the Waiawa Gulch Training Site and Unit Training and Equipment Site in Oahu, Hawai’i. The meeting was held on Friday, February 24, 2023. Many of the misrepresentations and psychological ploys used by the Army in this report are being waged by the DOD in an information war against the American public.
The times are shown for the threads of discussion, followed by analysis.
See the video here: https://dod.hawaii.gov/env/pfas-information/
Hickman 6:55 – “They trained with it (AFFF) because we didn’t know it was bad at the time. We stopped training with it in 2008.”
Military Poisons: As far back as the 1970s, studies conducted by the DOD showed that the firefighting foam used on military bases and ships known as aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, were toxic.
Col. Tyson Tahara, Hawaii Army National Guard Acting Chief of Staff 10:30 - “We stopped using AFFF once the environmental teams told us that we shouldn’t use this chemical anymore.”
Military Poisons: The Army is still using PFAS in AFFF and in other applications across the state.
Hunsaker 16:07: “The key thing we’re interested in is human health. We take it extremely seriously and specifically as it relates to PFAS in drinking water. That seems to be what the issue is.”
Military Poisons: This is a DOD talking point as it relates to PFAS contamination. The military would like us to forget that most of the PFAS they dump into our earth poison us through the food we eat, more than the water we drink!
The European Food Safety Authority says up to 86% of the PFAS in our blood is from food, especially fish. When the EPA set its drinking water health advisory, they figured that 20% of the PFAS in our bodies is from the water we drink, the rest from food, dust, and other sources. The military has great liability and it must pay for the monstrous crime it has perpetrated.
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In several statements throughout the presentation, the Army told the public they would act only if water levels exceed 70 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS.
Hunsaker 28:52: “As the EPA gets more info, they may change that number and if they do, then we will change ours. We just follow their number.”
Military Poisons: On June 15, 2022, the EPA issued interim updated drinking water health advisories for PFOA and PFOS that replace the 70 ppt combined advisory the EPA issued in 2016. The level for PFOA was set at .004 ppt and .02 ppt for PFOS. The updated advisory levels, which are based on new science and consider lifetime exposure, indicate that some negative health effects may occur with concentrations of PFOA or PFOS in water that are near zero. The Army can do and say just about anything because the EPA and the State of Hawaii don’t want to tangle with the 800-pound gorilla.
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For the first time in Hawaii, the DOD is publicizing data showing analytical results of PFAS in soil and groundwater. We don’t know the depths of the soil and groundwater concentrations reported here.
Compound Concentration in ppt
PFOA 57
PFOS 271
PFHxS 1,100
PFBS 125
PFNA 5.44
Total 1,558.44
Hunsaker 32:20 - The two we’re interested in PFOA (57 ppt) and PFOS (271 ppt) together add up to about 330. So, it’s not astronomically high. It’s not as high as other sites. For the other three (PFHxS, PFBS, and PFNA) There’s no evidence there’s any adverse health effects.”
Hunsaker 34:15 – “PFHxS is not one we have health concerns about.”
Military Poisons: The level reported for PFOA is 2,850 times over the EPA threshold. The level for PFOS is 13,550 times over the limit. Massachusetts is worried about the adverse health effects of PFAS compounds other than the notorious two. That state and others will shut down wells if they exceed a total of 20 ppt combined for PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA PFHpA, and PFDA. The disregard in Hawaii is palpable.
PFHxS is a deadly substitute for PFOS, so when DOD spokespersons say they stopped using “it” years ago, they are referring to PFOS and PFOA. We’re playing whack-a-PFAS mole here. California begins to regulate PFHxS at 2 ppt in groundwater. Exposure to PFHxS can cause adverse health effects, including harmful effects to a developing fetus, the thyroid, and the liver. Tell me it ain’t true.
The Army only released data on 5 compounds while many commercial labs can test for 55 analytes with a 10-day turnaround.
“Waiawa is a dog and pony show by the Army,” according to a source close to the command. “They know the releases are small compared to bigger bases with hangars and large machine shops. "It's a sucker punch."
Hunsaker: “It’s a very long and complicated process.”
Military Poisons: All the branches of the military hide behind CERCLA - the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
CERCLA is the Superfund Law process. CERCLA is not terribly complicated, and it needn’t be so drawn out. A Preliminary Assessment simply involves figuring out where PFAS chemicals have been used on a facility. Once they’ve been identified, the Site Inspection process will test various environmental media and publish the results. Hundreds of Site Inspections were published by the Navy and Air Force in 2017 and 2018, almost everywhere, but not in Hawaii and overseas. The 1,558.44 ppt disclosed by the DOD is the first bit of data we have for Hawaii.
The summary of uncertainties in the Army’s PFAS Preliminary Assessment Report, Waiawa Gulch Training Site says, “Historical testing practices prior to 2008 are unknown. It is not known if AFFF were used during tests prior to 2008, it is also unknown if residual AFFF in the firetruck tanks/lines may have been mixed with water during recent testing activities.”
They say they stopped using the stuff after 2008, so they pretty much have it covered.
37:08 Hunsaker: Because this is a developing situation nationwide, there’s a limited amount of lab capacity. And so, right now, it’s taking about 12-14 weeks to get those results back.”
Military Poisons: Developing situation? Only in Hawaii. The folks in Portsmouth, New Hampshire have been fighting with the Air Force since test results showed contaminated water at the Pease International Tradeport in 2014. This is the site of the former Pease Air Force Base. Blood testing confirmed that children attending the childcare centers were exposed to high levels of PFAS in the drinking water.
Eurofins, a lab the DOD uses with offices across the US, offers a ten-day turn-around time. Cyclopure, another lab the DOD uses, has the same turn-around time, and so does Alpha Analytical.
Diana Felton MD, State Toxicologist, Hawaii Department of Health Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response (HEER) Office 1:17:40:
In response to this question from the public. “Is there any knowledge around PFAS being absorbed into food products?
Felton: “This is an area of intensive research now. I would say we don’t have any definitive information on that. There is evidence that some of the PFAS chemicals can be taken up in plants but which ones and how much you need to have in the soil before it gets into the food crop and which food crop, it’s still unknown at this time, but being researched. But that’s not an answer.”
Military Poisons:
Later in the presentation, (2:03:20) Dr. Felton also said, “The water is the biggest concern because that’s how you get the most.” (PFAS in your body.)
Although the US Food and Drug Administration says we don’t need to be concerned about PFAS in food, the European Food Safety Authority says fish, eggs, certain kinds of meat, especially liver and other organ meats, and dairy products have also been found to have high levels of PFAS. They also warn that fruit can contain elevated levels of PFAS. Strawberries and lettuce may be loaded with the chemicals.
Nothing new here: Multiple crop bioaccumulation and human exposure - Environment International Volume 127, June 2019.
A farmer who lives on Waiawa Road offers his water to Army officials.
“Nobody likes? What about you? Nobody thirsty?”
Harley 1:23:23: A woman named Harley spoke to the military officials. “I live on Waiawa Road. I just have a question about the 12 to 14 weeks. It’s a really long time to be waiting for results. (crying) My son is three now. I don’t want him to drink this water one more day if it’s contaminated. So, I just wondered if there’s anything that could be done in the 14-week period. If you guys could give us something before then.. Are we just going to be waiting for the 14 weeks and then, all of the sudden, if we’re contaminated, then, yeah, you’ll give us bottled water, but otherwise we’re just waiting for then. We’re going to drink it for 14 more weeks?”
Hunsaker 1:24:33: So, what you’re asking is there anything we can do in the interim and the correct answer is no, we can’t. However, we don’t have a reason to suspect it’s gotten that far. We are doing this out of caution. And the other piece we’re looking at is – we’re talking acute versus chronic and so, unfortunately, we are tied to the legal authority that comes from Congress and we can’t supply it for ten weeks. We’re going to move as quick as we can.”
Military Poisons: “The correct answer is no we can’t.”
This woman was brilliant, although I didn’t catch her name.
Brilliant Woman 1:30:15: “In your presentation, sir, you said we will do everything we can within the law. I have a clarifying question. - Does that mean you will do only what the law requires you to do or that you will do everything in your power as long as it is not illegal?”
Hunsaker 1:30:35 “We will do everything the law allows us to do.”
Brilliant Woman “Why is it she cannot get water for the next 12-14 weeks for her family? Is it illegal for you to provide water to her?”
Hunsaker: “Yes, it is.”
Brilliant Woman: It’s illegal?
At this point Hunsaker hedged and stumbled for words. “It’s not illegal…it’s against…” long pause. Halla bailed him out.
Halla: 1:30:57 “The rules we are being bound by would be a fiscal law violation.”
Brilliant Woman: “Fiscal law violation to provide water while people are awaiting testing to determine if their water is poisoned?”
Halla: “Unfortunately, yeah.”
Brilliant Woman: “Wow! OK. Thank you for clarifying!”
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Military Poisons: How many lies can you count? An even better question is how many propagandistic points being used by all four branches can you identify in this report? It’s easy to make monkeys of them, but the lesson for people fighting this evil is to pressure state health and environment agencies to stand up to the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Hawaii is failing miserably in this regard.
The gorilla can be tamed.
The financial support we receive from the Downs Law Group makes this work possible.
The firm is working to provide legal representation to individuals with a high likelihood of exposure to PFAS and other contaminants.
Interested in joining a multi-base class action law suit pertaining to illnesses stemming from various kinds of environmental contamination? Join the Veterans & Civilians Clean Water Alliance
Facebook group. (2.2 K members and growing rapidly.)
Military Poisons and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US are still trying to raise enough funds to cover the costs of PFAS seafood testing in Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, and Florida. You can make a tax-deductible contribution here. What’s in your fish? What’s in your blood?