Environmental Commitment: PFAS

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals used across many industries since the 1940s, most widely in industrial processes and in firefighting foam used by the military, airports, and fire and rescue agencies. PFAS resist breaking down, so they build up over time in soil and groundwater, and have been found in food, household products, workplaces, drinking water, wildlife, and in blood and tissue samples from people.

At airports, PFAS is typically found in aqueous film-forming foam, known as AFFF, which is used to put out petroleum-based fires. AFFF has been used at airports across the country to fight fires and during equipment testing and training.

Since the 1970s, the airport has stored and used AFFF, which contains PFAS, in its firefighting foam under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. AFFF has been considered the most effective method against jet fuel fires since the United States Navy developed it in the 1960s, and the FAA has long required annual testing of firefighting equipment, which has discharged AFFF onto the tarmac and adjacent areas on airport property.

AFFF containing PFAS is still used at airports nationwide while the FAA works toward a fluorine-free alternative, though the FAA does allow airports an exemption from dispensing AFFF during equipment testing. In March 2019 the Michigan Aeronautics Commission approved a grant program giving each commercial service airport in Michigan about $25,000 for devices that test foam proportioning without discharging any concentrate. Cherry Capital Airport received one of these units in September 2019, and has reviewed its standard procedures for the safe and environmentally sound handling, storage and disposal of AFFF.

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 directed the FAA to eliminate the AFFF requirement and gave it three years to research alternatives. Approved alternatives were originally expected by the end of 2021; the FAA has said delays from the impacts of COVID-19 could extend that into 2022.

Dated milestones we have published, from our first contact with state regulators to the present.

1. February 2020

   EGLE requested information from us about our use of firefighting foam, and notified us that 20 groundwater supply wells were still in use in the Pine Grove neighborhood and at risk for PFAS exposure.

2. March 2020

   We were notified of grant funds available through the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) to support PFAS monitoring and testing.

3. April 2020

   EGLE informed us of Part 201 compliance requirements, since PFAS may be present on airport property.

4. May 2020

   Cherry Capital Airport began the grant application process, with a formal submission on May 29.

5. July 2020

   Cherry Capital Airport was awarded $249,981 in grant funding from MDOT and EGLE, through the Municipal Airport PFAS Grant Fund, for test wells to assess five suspected areas of contamination on airport property. EGLE approved the grant work plan the same month.

6. August 2020

   We were notified that EGLE would drill test wells on Parsons Road.

1. September 2020

   A contract was awarded to Gosling Czubak for the drilling of 15 test wells across five locations on airport property.

2. September 14 to 18, 2020

   EGLE's Geologic Service Section completed the installation of 10 vertical aquifer sampling locations along Parsons Road.

3. October 15, 2020

   A virtual team meeting with EGLE, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the local health department reviewed the results of EGLE's sampling.

4. October 16, 2020

   A virtual meeting with our team, the United States Coast Guard, EGLE and local officials gave an update on PFAS contamination in Pine Grove residential wells and the need for further testing.

5. October 21, 2020

   Cherry Capital Airport tested surface water samples from storm water basins in Areas 1 and 4.

6. October 22, 2020

   Cherry Capital Airport tested soil samples in Areas 1, 3 and 4.

7. October 26, 2020

   EGLE led a virtual town hall on its investigation and findings, attended by area residents, local officials and the public.

8. Early November 2020

   EGLE tested 15 of 18 residential wells in Pine Grove for PFAS.

9. November 3 to 6, 2020

   Cherry Capital Airport had 15 monitor wells drilled across five designated areas on airport property.

10. November 13, 2020

    A town hall covered the results of EGLE's testing on the 15 Pine Grove wells.

11. December 1 to 2, 2020

    Cherry Capital Airport collected groundwater samples from the 15 new monitor wells and from 3 existing wells on airport property.

12. December 4, 2020

    East Bay Township solicited bids for municipal water connections.

13. December 7, 2020

    EGLE tested the 3 remaining residential wells in Pine Grove.

14. December 11, 2020

    EGLE received sampling results from the last 3 residential well locations.

15. December 21, 2020

    Water connection bids were evaluated and a contract awarded, at a total projected cost of $229,000. East Bay Township secured $150,000 in EGLE grant funding toward it, leaving a $79,000 gap that would otherwise fall to the property owners.

1. January 28, 2021

   Grand Traverse County approved $85,000 in additional funds to help close the funding gap for Pine Grove residents needing water connections.

2. January 29, 2021

   We provided MDOT and EGLE with draft reports on soil, surface water and groundwater sampling results, for their review.

3. March 19, 2021

   Water connection hookups in the Pine Grove neighborhood were completed.

4. March 2021

   Six more monitoring wells were drilled, both upgradient and downgradient, across airport property for further groundwater sampling.

5. April 14, 2021

   EGLE designated Cherry Capital Airport an MPART PFAS site. The same day, MPART held a virtual community meeting with a public update on the investigation, where our team and the United States Coast Guard presented on recent sampling, results and future plans.

6. June 17, 2021

   We provided MDOT and EGLE with draft results from our April 2021 groundwater sampling.

7. October 1, 2021

   We provided MDOT and EGLE with draft results from our August 2021 groundwater sampling.

1. January 30, 2024

   We reported our fiscal year 2024 first quarter update.

2. April 19, 2024

   The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule designating PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

3. April 30, 2024

   We reported our fiscal year 2024 second quarter update.

4. October 2024

   We filed our final report for our second testing and monitoring grant.

5. July 2025

   EGLE issued a request for proposals for a third round of grant opportunities.

We are applying for a third grant from EGLE.

We have worked with other agencies and local representatives to help residents whose wells were impacted by PFAS connect to new water lines. We offered to help East Bay Township apply for Consolidation and Contamination Risk Reduction (C2R2) grant funding through the State of Michigan for drinking water system work, and raised funding questions with USDA Rural Development, the office of United States Senator Gary Peters, State Senator Wayne Schmidt, and the FAA.

As additional testing and results come in, we will continue to partner with federal, state and local authorities toward a long-term solution. Those partners include East Bay Township, the Grand Traverse County Commission, the Grand Traverse Health Department, EGLE, MDHHS, MPART, the FAA, MDOT, USDA Rural Development, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and the EPA.