New Mexico to Test Curry County Dairies' Groundwater for Toxic 'Forever Chemicals'

State reaches agreements with four local dairies to investigate PFAS contamination from nearby Cannon Air Force Base

Mar. 18, 2026 at 12:00am

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The New Mexico Environment Department has announced agreements with four Curry County dairies to conduct tests of groundwater contaminated by a plume of so-called 'forever chemicals' stemming from Cannon Air Force Base. The state says this marks a significant step toward full remediation of the PFAS contamination that has impacted local dairy farms and operations.

Why it matters

The PFAS contamination, first discovered in 2015, has had devastating impacts on Curry County dairy farmers, forcing some to dump thousands of gallons of contaminated milk and euthanize thousands of cows. The state's new agreements with local dairies aim to accelerate cleanup efforts that have been stalled by ongoing litigation between New Mexico and the U.S. Air Force over the scope of the remediation.

The details

The state says the agreements grew out of environment officials 'spending a lot of time out in Clovis with the folks who have been really impacted.' Since 2015, a 4-mile-long plume of PFAS chemicals from firefighting foams used at Cannon Air Force Base has contaminated groundwater in the area. While the Air Force says it has spent $74 million treating the contamination, state officials say the federal government has not responded to requests to jointly develop a clean-up plan.

  • The PFAS contamination was first discovered in 2015.
  • In 2022, dairy farmer Art Schaap had to dump 15,000 gallons of PFAS-contaminated milk daily and euthanize 3,600 cows.
  • Last year, lawmakers approved $12 million for a new drinking water source for private wells in Curry County contaminated with PFAS.

The players

New Mexico Environment Department

The state agency that announced the agreements with local dairies to test groundwater for PFAS contamination.

Cannon Air Force Base

The source of the PFAS contamination plume that has impacted local dairy farms in Curry County.

Art Schaap

A dairy farmer from Highland Dairy outside of Clovis, one of the dairies that signed an agreement with the state to investigate the PFAS contamination.

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What they’re saying

“We have stood in solidarity with our dairy industry since the toxic PFAS contamination was discovered in their water, land, herds, workers, and family members.”

— James Kenney, Environment Secretary

“We're gonna work together and we're going to actually bypass the Air Force base, and get the funds to start pumping and cleaning this water. It's not that complicated. We just need action.”

— Art Schaap, Dairy Farmer

What’s next

The state and local dairies will work together to investigate the extent of the PFAS contamination in the groundwater and develop a plan for remediation, bypassing the ongoing litigation between New Mexico and the U.S. Air Force.

The takeaway

This case highlights the devastating impact of PFAS 'forever chemicals' on rural communities and the need for swift action and collaboration between state and federal authorities to address environmental contamination issues that threaten local businesses and livelihoods.