PORTSMOUTH, NH — On Earth Day, New Hampshire Congressional candidate Stefany Shaheen and a coalition of New Hampshire families, medical professionals, scientists, and state lawmakers gathered for a roundtable discussion to highlight the urgent need to ensure clean drinking water and fight the Trump Administration’s delay of PFAS cleanup. Shortly after taking office, Donald Trump’s administration delayed PFAS cleanup by roughly five years at nearly 140 military sites.
People shared deeply personal stories of exposure and the devastating human toll of “forever chemicals” in New Hampshire’s drinking water and environment with a particular focus on the contamination at the Pease Tradeport, St. Gobain plant in Merrimack, Coakley Landfill, and impacts on New England-area farms and private residential wells. North Conway is currently considering investing in foam fractionation to stop PFAS from leaching in their water supply.
“PFAS contamination was discovered in our local water supply while I was on the Portsmouth City Council. We knew families had been exposed, including young kids. I heard from the parents of kids who drank contaminated water the same worry I’ve lived with following my daughter’s diagnosis with type 1 diabetes,” said Stefany Shaheen. “We fought to get screening for those exposed to the dangerous forever chemicals and I served on the Community Advisory Panel (CAP) advocating for clean up of the water and long-term health studies. This fight isn’t over and it’s getting tougher as the Trump administration denies, delays and ignores these chemicals and the consequences to the families who have been exposed.”
“Finding out that our family had been exposed to PFAS by eating beef raised on our family’s farm was beyond shocking. Confirming that all of my children had high levels of PFAS in their blood stemming from this exposure was devastating,” said Allison Jumper. “We didn’t ask for these ‘forever chemicals’ in our food, but we are the ones now forced to live with the resulting medical anxiety. We need to re-examine the practice of applying sewage sludge on land and ensure that no more PFAS is added to soil, protect farms, farmers, and their families from exposure to PFAS, and demand accountability from polluters and lend real support to the families being hurt.”
“I was a toddler attending daycare on Pease when PFAS was first discovered in the water supply,” shared Sophia Amico. “I am sure PFAS doesn’t show up as a top concern for young people in any national polls, but they are for me and so many others on the Seacoast because we know these chemicals are inside our bodies but we don’t know what it means for our health down the road. We are speaking out this Earth Day alongside Stefany Shaheen because she shares our refusal to let the next generation inherit contaminated water.”
Merrimack State Representatives Nancy Murphy and Rosemarie Rung, joined the discussion to emphasize the ongoing legislative fight for stricter contamination limits, corporate accountability, and state-funded cleanup initiatives.
Other attendees included medical and scientific Experts: Dr. Tom Sherman, a former State Senator and Representative who has championed PFAS legislation and chaired the Pediatric Cancer Cluster Commission. Dr Rose Lopresto, a Rye resident, retired doctor, and Rye Water Commissioner who was personally exposed to PFAS through drinking water. State Representative David Meuse, who serves on the City of Portsmouth Safe Water Advisory Group and on the Seacoast Drinking Water Commission. Ben Doyle, Vice President of the University of New Hampshire Student Senate who is involved in organizing efforts around the Coakley Landfill. Zoe Flynn, a UNH student majoring in public policy. Katrie Hilman, a Portsmouth resident and member of Conservation Law Foundation Board, she also serves on the City of Portsmouth Safe Water Advisory Group.
“Earth Day is not just about appreciating our natural resources; it is about protecting the people who rely on them,” said Dr. Sherman. “We have communities in New Hampshire where contaminated drinking water has fundamentally threatened the health of our families. Stefany Shaheen fought for clean up and testing as a City Councilor — that’s the kind of New Hampshire advocate we need in Congress.”
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