Ellsworth Air Force Base set to start planning process for environmental cleanup [Video]

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Last month the Department of Defense released the names of more than 30 facilities where environmental cleanup actions are needed, and Ellsworth Air Force Base made the list.

PFAS are a large class of chemicals that don’t break down easily and can harm the environment as well as a person’s health. Ellsworth Air Force Base used those chemicals to put out fires and in many cases, they used those same chemicals during training until 2020.

In the past, cleanups have included installing filtration systems and testing for the flow-through barriers to remove PFAS from surface water. The Base announced it plans to begin a study to help shape another cleanup.

Officials at the base say the study is intended to make sure more of the chemicals don’t spread outside of the base.

They plan to award the contract for the study in May, with the …