Maryland fails to protect the public from PFAS in fish

State suddenly announces virtual meeting to address new PFAS fish advisories

Meeting open to all set for December 6, 2023 at 5 p.m. EST

The Maryland Department of the Environment has completely mishandled fish advisories for PFAS. They have jeopardized human health. They have embarrassed the state across the country and around the world.

The Maryland Department of the Environment will hold a virtual meeting (call in available) to discuss the updated PFAS Fish Consumption Advisories that will be released on Friday, December 8, 2023.

Date and Time:
December 6, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Google Meet:
The Google Meet link for the meeting is meet.google.com/noc-ipdc-cww or dial: ‪(US) +1 240-532-3775 PIN: ‪177 280 880#.

Please forward this information to anyone who would be interested. Email Amy Laliberte of the Maryland Department of the Environment at Amy.Laliberte@maryland.gov if you have questions or would like the meeting itinerary and FAQs.

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 As things stand today, the state has one fish advisory for PFAS and that is for Piscataway Creek. It fails to protect human health. The state’s meager action wouldn’t have happened without sustained agitation from many directions.

Piscataway Creek drains the dangerous pollution from Joint Base Andrews. The Air Force gets a pass in Maryland. It is allowed to contaminate the soil and water in Prince George’s County and the Potomac River. The Air Force does not have to clean up anything. The Air Force has no liability and most people either don’t know enough or couldn’t care. The Air Force can poison the fish and it doesn’t matter. Women are giving birth to children with these chemicals in their bodies. Many childhood diseases are linked to PFAS and so are a host of cancers.

In July of 2021, the Air Force released data from JB Andrews showing concentrations of PFOA in groundwater at 435,000 parts per trillion. This concentration is 108.75 million times above the EPA's interim health advisory. The entire region is severely contaminated by the Air Force, the Navy, and the Army.

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)  recommends that adults and children should consume no more than 1 meal per month of Redbreast Sunfish from Piscataway Creek. An adult serving is 8 ounces. A Redbreast Sunfish was found to contain 359,000 ppt of PFOS and 374,850 ppt of total PFAS.

MDE also recommends consumption of no more than 7 meals per month (for children only) of Yellow Bullhead Catfish. A child’s serving is 3 ounces. The Yellow Bullhead Catfish had 24,700 ppt of PFOS and 29,180 ppt overall. That’s a total concentration of 204,260 ppt. allowed per month for children.

Finally, MDE recommends that adults, including Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should limit their consumption of Largemouth Bass to 3 meals per month. A Largemouth Bass had 94,200 ppt of PFOS and 100,690 total PFAS.

Science offers no defense for this chaos.

We need a reality check in Maryland. These chemicals cause cancer and worse. California classifies PFOS as a human carcinogen. PFOS in a person's body is associated with elevated cholesterol, changes to liver function, changes in thyroid hormone levels, and reduced immune response. This is serious. This is science.

Human beings should not be consuming these chemicals. Period.

How could this be happening in the heart of EPA Region 3? Maryland is so terribly vulnerable to these chemicals. The Army just released data showing PFOS concentrations at 64,000 ppt in groundwater with 115,850 of total PFAS at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Other than the rubber stamp of approval, what’s the MDE going to do about it? How about taking them to court for destroying the Chesapeake Bay?

 MDE-calculated risk-based screening concentration for PFOS for fish consumption

Let’s look at the state’s guidelines for Women of child-bearing age (67 kg.) 

A pregnant woman with a largemouth Bass.

The state of Maryland says it’s OK for a pregnant Woman to consume 8 ounces of fish containing 64,000 ppt of PFOS 48 times a year.

It’s not. Look it up

Financial support from the  Downs Law Group makes it possible for us to research and write about PFAS contamination in Maryland and around the world.

The firm is working to provide legal representation to individuals in the U.S. and abroad with a high likelihood of exposure to trichloroethylene, PFAS, and other contaminants.

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If you spent time in the military and you think you may be sick as a result of your service, think about joining this group to learn from others with similar issues. Are you interested in joining a multi-base class action lawsuit pertaining to illnesses stemming from various kinds of environmental contamination?

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