BILLINGS — Scientists, public-health researchers and environmental advocates are urging Montanans to press for stronger controls on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, after state monitoring and research found the chemicals in water and wildlife.
Speakers at an online public meeting hosted Thursday by the Montana Environmental Information Center described PFAS as persistent, widespread and linked in studies to human health impacts. They recommended that state officials and residents consider policies to reduce use, limit environmental releases and protect drinking-water supplies.
What residents need to know
PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in many consumer and industrial products. According to Kimberly Garrett, an environmental health researcher and assistant professor at the City University of New York, the same qualities that make PFAS useful commercially — resistance to heat, water and oil — make them “fairly persistent and hazardous in the environment.”
"Those chemical properties that make them so useful for these industrial applications also make them fairly persistent and hazardous in the environment," Kimberly Garrett said.
Researchers at the meeting cited multiple Montana examples of PFAS detection. In January, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality proposed an almost $18 million project to construct four new wells for Kalispell after finding PFAS in city wells. A Montana DEQ report released in April also found PFAS in fish from several Montana waters, including the Yellowstone River.
Jamie DeWitt, a professor of environmental and molecular toxicology at Oregon State University, said epidemiological research links PFAS exposure to several cancers and thyroid disease and cautioned that current findings may represent only a portion of potential harms.
"Hyper and hypo thyroid cancer has been linked to PFAS," Jamie DeWitt said. "This is just really the tip of the iceberg for many states."
Experts' recommendations
- Reduce or phase out products with intentionally added PFAS.
- Improve monitoring of drinking water and fish tissues.
- Invest in alternative water supplies or treatment where PFAS are detected.
- Look to other states' laws as models for phased bans and cleanup requirements.
Speakers pointed to Minnesota as an example. Avonna Starck, Minnesota state director for Clean Water Action Minnesota, recommended that Montana consider a phased ban similar to that enacted under Minnesota’s "Amara's Law," which targets products with intentionally added PFAS and includes supply-chain requirements. The law is named for Amara Strande, a Minnesota resident who lived near PFAS contamination and later developed terminal liver cancer.
Local research and monitoring
Montana agencies and partners have participated in sampling and studies. A collaborative research project conducted in 2023 with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services contributed to a DEQ report that identified PFAS in fish. The Yellowstone River Research Center has also collected samples from turtles as part of PFAS monitoring.
| Finding | Location / Study |
|---|---|
| PFAS detected in municipal wells | Kalispell — DEQ proposal for four new wells |
| PFAS found in fish | Yellowstone River — DEQ report based on 2023 sampling |
| Wildlife monitoring | Yellowstone River Research Center — turtle sampling |
Speakers at the MEIC-hosted meeting emphasized that Montana’s exposure risks vary by community and by water source. They urged local officials and water managers to prioritize testing, public notification and infrastructure planning where PFAS are present.
For residents, experts advised staying informed about local water testing results, following fish-consumption guidance from state agencies, and engaging with state and local representatives about regulations and funding for remediation.
State agencies have begun responding to detections with targeted projects and reports. Advocates say those steps should be expanded into a coordinated state strategy to limit new PFAS releases and address existing contamination.
Sierra Lambert, News Block.
