The Martin State Airport, located on 750 acres of waterfront property in Middle River, Maryland, is operated by the Maryland Aviation Administration as a general aviation facility that serves as the Maryland Air National Guard headquarters. For many years, the site functioned as an airfield for military aircraft manufactured at nearby Martin assembly facilities.
The continuing use of AFFF, which is the primary source of PFAS release within the airport's operating area, as well as releases from actions by tenants on leased airport properties such as hangars, adds a new dimension of risk management to airport operations.
When PFAS-based firefighting foam was first developed in 1963, the Department of Defense (DOD) utilized it for firefighting operations such as testing, maintenance, and training exercises. As a consequence, hundreds of locations throughout the United States were contaminated with these toxic chemicals, including Martin State Airport Air National Guard Base, which was home to many military personnel and their families.
According to a recent report released by the Environmental Working Group, at least nine military facilities located near the Chesapeake Bay are responsible for contaminants that are affecting water and wildlife and may even be causing people to become ill. The contaminants in question are referred to as "forever chemicals" or PFAS, an acronym for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are man-made compounds that have been in use since the 1940s and do not degrade in the environment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PFAS may have serious health consequences, including cancer, liver damage, and reduced fertility. Contaminants in the Chesapeake Bay are linked to military bases in Maryland and Virginia, according to the report. Among the Maryland sites included in the report is the Martin State Air National Guard Base.
Martin State Airport is comprised of the 135th Airlift Group and the 175th Wing. The 175th Wing has state and federal duties to reinforce active troops and support state authorities during natural disasters, civil disturbances, and other emergencies. In 1991, pieces of crushed, buried drums were found in a taxiway median at the Martin State Airport Air National Guard Base, prompting an investigation of four particular locations. When debris discovered at the site indicated a connection between the heritage company and the areas being investigated, the previous site owner, Lockheed Martin, became involved. There were collected numerous soil, surface water, sediment, groundwater, soil vapor, and indoor air samples at the Middle River Complex and Martin State Airport. All samples were examined for chemicals that were known to have been used in aircraft manufacture and assembly, as well as other industrial activities. The investigation found the presence of:
The military uses PFAS-based foams to rapidly extinguish flames during training exercises. These chemicals, which are also found in nonstick pans and flame-retardant carpets, have been linked to a variety of health problems, including an increased risk of liver, kidney, and thyroid problems, certain types of cancer, female infertility, and developmental problems in fetuses and infants.
Toxic exposure illnesses occur when one is in the presence of harmful chemicals, such as those mentioned above, for a long time. This may happen from a variety of causes, the most frequent of which is a company's failure to properly monitor and manage hazardous waste. Hazardous exposure may result from the discharge, spill, or leak of toxic substances into the environment, which can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans.
These are the diseases that make you eligible to file a toxic exposure claim if you were stationed at Martin State Airport Air National Guard Base:
If you came to struggle with one of the above-mentioned diseases due to PFAS exposure that occurred on Martin State Airport Air National Guard Base, you will receive the maximum compensation available for your emotional distress.
If you spent time at Martin State Airport Air National Guard Base and came to struggle with a linkable disease that is the result of PFAS exposure, please contact Atraxia Law as we have a detailed and far-reaching network of information and resources at our disposal, to assist you in recovering the maximum financial compensation to which you are entitled.
Similarly, if you are a family member of a veteran who was stationed at a contaminated military base and developed a disease as a result of toxic exposure, our team of experts will provide you with quality legal assistance to recover the compensation you deserve from the liable party. In order to qualify for compensation, you must have spent at least one year at Martin State Airport Air National Guard Base.
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