CRAA Issues Statement on PFAS Investigation
CAPITAL REGION AIRPORT AUTHORITY ISSUES STATEMENT ON PFAS INVESTIGATION
Lansing, MI – The Capital Region Airport Authority (CRAA) on Tuesday issued the following statement regarding the PFAS contamination investigation at the Capital Region International Airport:
The Capital Region Airport Authority was awarded a grant for $201,966 in 2020 from the state of Michigan to establish several PFAS monitoring stations on airport property. The Capital Region International Airport is working with the environmental consulting firm Triterra to do the monitoring.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940’s in a variety of products including fire fighting chemical foam. Like all other commercial service airports in the United States, the Capital Region International Airport is required to use a fire-retardant foam containing PFAS, and the sprayed chemicals have been very effective in smothering flames and fuel in the event of an aircraft fire.
At this moment, monitoring soil is continuing along with testing airport wells to make sure drinking water is clean of PFAS contamination. We know there is PFAS material on airport property, and it is believed there is no immediate risk to human health. Residential well sampling efforts were conducted by EGLE contractors in May 2021, and all wells checked were non-detect for PFAS. All drinking water wells located on the airport property have also been non-detect for PFAS.
The airport has submitted a work plan for additional sampling locations to address potential impacts of the PFAS that was located on airport property.
Additionally, on August 24, 2021, a plane crash occurred on airport property and fire-retardant foam containing PFAS was utilized during the emergency response. The airport has performed several sampling activities along with mitigation strategies to minimize any additional PFAS contamination.
###
The Capital Region Airport Authority owns and operates the Capital Region International Airport, Mason Jewett Airport and Port Lansing. The Capital Region International Airport, whose airport code is LAN, is an important asset in the mid-Michigan community, driving $1 billion annually in economic impact. The airport welcomes nearly half a million visitors each year to connect throughout the country and the world. In addition to providing corporate and general aviation, the Capital Region International Airport moves 54.4 million pounds of cargo annually and is one of two airports in the state with a federal inspection station. More than 7,300 jobs are dependent on the airport, which also features a 48,000-square-foot warehouse and 582 acres of ready-to-develop land. For more information, go to FlyLansing.com and visit the airport’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts.