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Researchers detail wildlife and human health risks from PFAS; call for expanded testing and services
Summary
UNM and public‑health experts described widespread PFAS contamination at Holloman Lake and other sites, reported high PFAS levels in wildlife, and urged expanded water testing, clinical screening for exposed populations and funding for remediation and health services.
Researchers and clinicians told the Water & Natural Resources committee that PFAS contamination at multiple sites in New Mexico poses both ecological and human‑health risks and that current testing and funding are insufficient to understand and address the full scale of exposure.
Dr. Jean Luc Cartron (UNM) summarized ecological sampling at Holloman Lake, where NMED‑funded work found PFAS in birds, mammals, fish and soils at concentrations in the thousands to tens of thousands of nanograms per gram — levels far above typical benchmarks for wildlife toxicity. He said researchers detected chemical "fingerprints" consistent with multiple generations of firefighting foam and that contamination extends along groundwater flow paths and wind corridors toward other wetlands and grazing areas.
Cartron emphasized human exposure pathways tied to local food chains: "We tested more than 200 ducks and geese from around the state, to assess the risk," he said, noting hunters and subsistence consumers could face elevated exposures if they harvest game from affected wetlands.
Dr. Wendy Johnson, a physician practicing in northern New Mexico, reviewed the human‑health literature linking PFAS to immune dysfunction, high cholesterol, reproductive and developmental harms and increased cancer risks. "Most scientists think there's really no safe level of PFAS for humans or animals," she told members, and she urged expanded testing for private wells in particular because many New Mexicans rely on non‑municipal water supplies.
Both presenters stressed research and clinical gaps. Cartron described ongoing necropsies and blind toxicology studies that remain underfunded; he said UNM and partners want to complete lipidomics and formal natural resource damage assessments but need additional support. Johnson said household point‑of‑use filters are often ineffective against PFAS and that full‑house systems can cost several thousand dollars per installation.
Panelists recommended state action in three areas: accelerate and broaden testing (municipal and private wells, food and wildlife), expand medical screening and services for exposed populations, and prioritize remediation where contamination exceeds background by large margins. Committee members asked which state agencies lead monitoring (NMED performs sampling and analysis; the Office of State Engineer permits drilling and siting of monitoring wells) and discussed outreach to affected communities and tribes.
The panel emphasized that prevention, testing and health‑service support should proceed in parallel with remediation, and that state leadership and funding will be essential to implement comprehensive monitoring and care.
