1 day ago
NMED NEWS RELEASE
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has signed four agreements with dairies in Curry County to investigate and remediate groundwater contaminated by toxic PFAS originating from Cannon Air Force Base.
These agreements represent a major step toward the full cleanup of a four-mile PFAS contamination plume caused by firefighting foam used at Cannon Air Force Base. NMED is leading this effort, funding the cleanup and seeking reimbursement from the United States Air Force.
"We have stood in solidarity with our dairy industry since the toxic PFAS contamination was discovered in their water, land, herds, workers, and family members," said Environment Secretary James Kenney. "Through our partnership, we will learn how to manage and treat the toxic PFAS contamination under Curry County that will remain unaddressed by the U.S. Air Force until 2032 or later."
At a public meeting held by the U.S. Air Force in January 2026, NMED offered to lead the cleanup of contamination outside the military base and requested funding from the U.S. Air Force. On January 28, NMED sent a letter to the U.S. Air Force reiterating this proposal.
The U.S. Air Force has not responded to this offer, citing an ongoing lawsuit against the State of New Mexico and indicating no intention to collaborate with NMED or landowners soon to address the PFAS contamination it caused.
Due to the contamination, Highland Dairy, a family-run farm in Curry County, was forced to euthanize more than 3,600 dairy cows poisoned by PFAS.
This announcement follows multiple state initiatives aimed at protecting Curry County residents from the toxic PFAS contamination caused by the U.S. Air Force. NMED has launched various programs, tests, and remediation efforts to address the damage.
In Fall 2024, NMED initiated the New Mexico PFAS Blood Testing Program, offering free blood tests to adults living or working near Cannon Air Force Base. This program helped residents understand their exposure and provided healthcare providers with better data to support patients. The final report showed that 99.7% of the 628 participants had PFOS—a type of PFAS commonly used in military and airport firefighting foam—in their blood.
In October 2025, the New Mexico Legislature approved a $12 million appropriation to extend the public drinking water system east of Cannon Air Force Base, connecting private well owners affected by the PFAS plume to safe drinking water.
In December 2025, NMED began installing free water filters for private well owners in the plume area, with 47 filters installed as of March 6, 2026.
The PFAS plume is currently the subject of multiple lawsuits seeking to hold the U.S. Department of Defense accountable. To date, NMED has spent over $12 million on legal and technical costs related to these lawsuits.
