CASCADE, Mich. — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought forward by the state against Gerald R. Ford International Airport. It centered around the airport's use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) to fight fires, which contained PFAS.
The lawsuit, filed by The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and State Attorney General Dana Nessel, alleged the airport didn't take action to address the use of PFAS after contamination spread to Cascade Township's well water. The state wanted the airport to be liable for fines, remediation expenses, costs, and attorney fees related to the contamination. The airport argued it was required to use AFFF by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Kent County Circuit Court Judge George Quist ruled the airport was following federal requirements in its use of AFFF.
The FAA updated its regulations in 2023 and removed PFAS as an ingredient in its firefighting agent.
The full impact of the contamination from AFFF use is not yet known.
