The New Mexico Environment Department has inked four agreements with Curry County dairies as part of efforts to investigate and clean up groundwater contaminated by toxic chemicals traced to firefighting foam used at Cannon Air Force Base. Officials said the agreements are part of the way forward to address a four-mile PFAS plume that spread into nearby communities.
NMED took the lead and will initially fund the effort while 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,” Environment Secretary James Kenney said in a statement released on March 12.
PFAS, short for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, are man-made chemicals that do not break down in the environment. They are called “forever chemicals” because they remain in the human body forever.
NMED offered to lead cleanup work outside the base during a public meeting in January 2026. The department asked the Air Force to fund the initiative. It reiterated the proposal in a letter sent to federal officials on January 28.
The Air Force still has to respond. It cited its ongoing lawsuit against the state, signaling that federal authorities do not intend to partner with either the NMED or landowners in the near future.
The contamination has had adverse impacts on local agriculture. Highland Dairy, a family-run operation in Curry County, had to euthanize over 3,600 dairy cows after PFAS poisoning.
The department launched the New Mexico PFAS Blood Testing Program in Fall 2024. It offered free blood testing to adults who either lived or worked near the base. NMED’s final report indicated that 99.7 percent of the 628 participants had PFOS in their blood. PFOS is a form of PFAS commonly used in military and airport firefighting foam.
In October last year, the New Mexico Legislature approved a $12-million appropriation to replace PFAS-tainted water. It allowed those who relied on private wells within the PFAS plume area to access safe water.
NMED also began installing free water filters for private well owners in the contaminated zone in December 2025. As of March 6, the department said 47 filtration systems had been installed.
Several lawsuits are now ongoing seeking to hold the United States Department of Defense responsible for the contamination. New Mexico has already spent more than $12 million in technical and legal costs related to the cases.