Newburgh Water Contamination and Blood Testing Information
Since abnormally and unacceptably high levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were found in Newburgh’s water supply, Rep. Maloney has worked with local, state and federal officials to call for an immediate investigation, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure residents in Newburgh have a clean water source without placing the financial burden on the City.
"My neighbors in Newburgh – and throughout the Hudson Valley – deserve safe drinking water, and they deserve to know if the water they've been drinking is making them sick. I thank the Governor for taking this action to get folks in Newburgh tested – this is a critical step to learning the extent of our exposure and determining the potential health effects of our contaminated drinking water,” said Rep. Maloney. “I will continue working with the CDC and state and local officials to ensure Newburgh has the resources it needs to provide safe drinking water and prepare for any potential health risks associated with the contamination.”
On September 20, 2016, Representative Maloney and state officials announced the start of a biomonitoring program to determine the extent of contamination in the people of Newburgh from drinking unacceptably high levels of PFOS.
On January 3, 2017, Rep. Maloney and other officials announced additional testing dates:
Cornerstone Family Healthcare 147 Lake Street, Newburgh
- January 5th
- January 6th
- January 8th
- January 10th
- January 13th
- January 15th
- January 18th
- January 20th
- January 23rd
- January 26th
- January 29th
Blood tests will be scheduled first for residents who expressed interest in participating in testing at public meetings or contacted the Department of Health (DOH). Interested residents are strongly encouraged to pre-register for an appointment by calling 518-402-7950 or email BEOE@health.ny.gov to schedule appointments. More dates will be added based on demand and feedback from the community.
Participation and results from the initial blood tests will assist in the development of a full comprehensive program that will include wide outreach to the community, blood tests in multiple locations, and educational materials in English, Spanish and Creole.
Background on The Contamination Crisis:
After the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) declared Stewart Air National Guard (ANG) base a state Superfund site, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to comply with the DEC’s request for a federal remediation program. Immediately after declaring Stewart ANG base an Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site (Class 2), more commonly referred to as a state Superfund site, DEC sent a letter to DoD requesting that they enter into a legally binding agreement to carry out a remediation program with the state and bear some of the cost. Following this request, Rep. Maloney sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, requesting expeditious compliance with this request and “a commitment from the Department of Defense to develop, implement, and finance a Remedial Program for the contamination site.” On September 20, Maloney and state officials announced the launch of a biomonitoring program for Newburgh.
On May 19, Rep. Maloney called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to immediately set a clear national standard for acceptable levels of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. Rep. Maloney also renewed calls for the EPA to provide immediate material assistance to the City of Newburgh to remediate the contamination. On May 13, Rep. Maloney called on the DoD to immediately conduct an investigation into the likely source of the pollution – Stewart Air National Guard Base. In addition to calling for a review of the source of the contaminant, Rep. Maloney asked the DoD to ensure total remediation for the City of Newburgh. On June 8, after a strong push, Rep. Maloney announced that the DoD added Stewart ANG base to their review list and made the investigation into Newburgh water contamination a first priority. After initial reports of contamination in the City of Newburgh water, Rep. Maloney and Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand wrote a letter to the EPA calling for immediate assistance to determine the source of the contamination, test contaminant levels, and formulate a remediation plan.