Fairbanks North Star Borough (AK) near Eielson Air Force Base

Because of the small sample size, findings about children are not included. The final aggregate report on all exposure assessment sites will include a more detailed analysis.

No PFAS were detected in urine.

All Moose Creek drinking water samples collected during the EA in 2020 met the EPA’s HA and the AK DEC action levels for specific PFAS in drinking water.

PFAS contamination in house dust was similar to that reported in other studies (with and without PFAS contamination) and likely contributed to PFAS levels in the blood.

Too few adult EA participants reported consuming locally caught fish to allow for meaningful statistical comparison to blood PFAS levels.

This PFAS EA provides evidence that past exposures to PFAS in drinking water have impacted the levels of some PFAS in people’s bodies. These PFAS are eliminated from the body over a long period of time. This allowed ATSDR to measure PFAS even though exposures through drinking water were mitigated, or lowered, years ago.

Although the exposure contribution from PFAS in private well water in Moose Creek has been mitigated, there are actions community members and other stakeholders can take to further reduce exposures to PFAS and protect public health.

Based on the recent PFAS drinking water test results from private wells tested by the Air Force in Moose Creek, ATSDR recommends that residents continue to use the alternative source of water provided by the Air Force at this time.

The Air Force has taken action to reduce levels of PFAS in drinking water at homes near Eielson Air Force Base. Based on the information available to ATSDR, the alternative drinking water provided by the Air Force (whether through filters, bottled water, or tanks) currently meets all federal and state guidelines for PFAS. ATSDR recommends that community members continue to use these alternative water sources. The long-term solution is to connect your home to piped water from a source that meets all federal and state drinking water guidelines for PFAS.

Residents should coordinate monitoring and maintenance of the water filtration systems with the Air Force until such time as piped water is supplied.

Nursing mothers should continue breastfeeding. Based on current science, the known benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks for infants exposed to PFAS in breast milk.

When possible, eliminate or decrease potential exposure to PFAS in consumer products such as stain-resistant products and food packaging materials. To learn more visit https://www.fda.gov/food/chemical-contaminants-food/questions-andanswers-pfas-food.

Pay attention to advisories about food consumption, such as local fish advisories. Because of PFAS in lakes and creeks near Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska Department of Fish and Game currently allows only catch and release sport fishing in Polaris Lake, Bear Lake, Moose Lake, Bathing Beauty Pond, Piledriver Slough, and Moose Creek.

Follow the advice of your child’s health care provider and the recommendations for well child checkups, vaccinations, and health screening tests. Consult https://health.gov/myhealthfinder to help identify those vaccinations and tests.

For additional information about environmental exposures and children’s health, contact the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs), a nationwide network of experts in reproductive and children’s environmental health, https://www.pehsu.net/.

Discuss any health concerns or symptoms with your health care provider. Share results of PFAS blood testing with your health care provider and make them aware of ATSDR resources for clinicians https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/resources/info-for-health-professionals.html. Follow the advice of your health care provider and the recommendations for checkups, vaccinations, prenatal care, and health screening tests.

At this time, ATSDR does not have plans to conduct additional blood testing for PFAS or recommend PFAS EA participants get individually retested for PFAS in blood. The biological half-lives of many of the PFAS measured in people’s blood are long. PFHxS, in particular, has one of the longest half-lives—some estimates range in the decades. This means that PFAS blood levels are not expected to change significantly in the near-term, even if exposure stops. Additionally, it is unclear what an individual’s PFAS test results mean in terms of possible health effects.

For the general population, blood tests for PFAS are most useful when they are part of a scientific investigation like this EA. Test results will tell you how much of each PFAS is in your blood, but it is unclear what the results mean in terms of possible health effects. In addition, blood testing for PFAS is not a routine test offered by most doctors or health departments. Talk to your health care provider and make them aware of ATSDR resources for clinicians. (https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/resources/info-for-healthprofessionals.html).

With permission from homeowners, test private wells in the affected area that have not been previously tested.

Continue to monitor and maintain alternative drinking water systems to ensure that the water provided continues to meet all federal and state drinking water guidelines for PFAS.

ATSDR will hold a meeting to discuss the results and is available to answer questions from the community at any time.

When all of the exposure assessments are complete, we will prepare a report describing the data across all sites.

We are also reaching out to doctors, nurses, and other health care providers in your area to provide PFAS information. PFAS clinician guidance that includes additional resources and references can be found at https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/resources/pfas-information-for-clinicians.html.