Gustavus PFAS Action Coalition Funds

Gustavus is the second community in Alaska to have discovered contaminated drinking water wells due to the use of FAA regulated Firefighting foam used by the Alaska DOT at airports that accommodate jet traffic. Fairbanks was the first.

PFAS contaminants are highly mobile, do not break down easily in the environment, or in the human body, and cause all kinds of health issues: Liver and Kidney cancers, hormonal disruption, thyroid dysfunction, low immune response, gastrointestinal issues, and more. The research on this family of chemicals is new and safe exposure levels are currently being determined by each state. 

Gustavus is in a unique situation, we cannot easily be fitted with a water alternative. Currently the affected homes are receiving bottled water, and it is unclear how long we will be waiting for a long term solution, or what that solution may be.

We are raising money and awareness to help push the state and the nation to act swiftly and effectively! We are spending all our spare time on this (and some time we can’t spare!) to try to get some answers for what this may mean for our futures. Our health is in question, our property value, our children’s futures. We would like to start by raising money to do what the state will not, including, but not limited to:
Blood tests, drinking water for those contaminated but below “action level”, soil testing, raising awareness, and ultimately being able to make some of these very important decisions and discoveries ourselves. 

If you can donate, please do. If you cannot, please help raise awareness on this issue, emerging state and nation wide, by sharing this post, telling someone about it, or calling your senator and encouraging them to push for strict guidelines when it comes to the 4,000 PFAS chemicals out there!

Thank you.