Researchers and advocates urge town support to continue PFAS health study in Hyannis

Silent Spring Institute scientists told the Barnstable Town Council on April 30 that Hyannis residents who took part in the Massachusetts "PFAS and Your Health" study have higher blood levels of certain PFAS chemicals than the general population and that more funding is needed to convert a one-time survey into a longitudinal follow-up.

Dr. Laurel Shader, senior scientist and principal investigator for the Massachusetts site, said the Hyannis sampling — more than 400 adults and children enrolled between 2021 and 2023 — was part of a multi-site CDC project. She told the council the Hyannis water system previously recorded PFAS contamination in the top 1% of tested U.S. water supplies, that the water is now treated through carbon filtration, and that past exposures remain measurable in blood. "We know that PFAS can stay in our bodies for long amounts of time," Shader said, describing links the study team has found between higher PFAS levels and increased blood pressure, particularly among younger adults.

Cheryl Osimo, co-founder of Silent Spring and executive director of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, asked the council to press state and federal representatives for funds so the team can collect follow-up samples and reconstruct long-term exposures. Councilors and the town manager agreed to co-author a letter to the Cape delegation; the town manager said staff had already contacted state lawmakers and could issue a joint letter quickly. Dr. Shader said the team is seeking both smaller short-term allocations and a multiyear commitment to support a larger follow-up phase.

Why this matters: Hyannis had elevated PFAS in some wells traced to firefighting foams, and the study aims to connect historical exposures with health markers such as lipids, diabetes and blood pressure. Silent Spring and its university partners described plans to reconstruct past drinking-water concentrations with hydrogeologists and to model long-term blood burdens so researchers can examine chronic effects.

What the council did next: Councilors asked how they could help. The council agreed to authorize a jointly signed letter with the town manager asking state and federal representatives to prioritize funding for the follow-up study; staff also suggested pursuing community-foundation and other philanthropic support. The presenters said the CDC site grant has ended and that the team needs roughly $1 million a year to sustain a full follow-up program, while smaller earmarks could fund initial analyses and outreach.

The next step is advocacy: presenters invited the town to support outreach to the Cape delegation and to join efforts to secure earmarks or other appropriations to continue the research.