-and-
Health advisory recommends hunters seek blood testing.
Sources: New Mexico Environment Department, New Mexico Department of Health
Photos: Courtesy
SANTA FE — Holloman Lake near White Sands National Park has recorded the highest levels of toxic PFAS contamination in wildlife and plants worldwide, according to a report released Monday by the New Mexico the Environment Department (NMED).
Holloman Lake near Alamogordo and adjacent to White Sands National Park serves as the wastewater reservoir for Holloman Air Force Base. The report’s findings reveal only a portion of the damage that PFAS contamination may be inflicting on New Mexico’s fragile ecosystems, which are vital to our state’s cultural and economic wellbeing, as well as the health of New Mexicans.
“Today’s report is a stark reminder of the need for the U.S. Department of Defense to take full and immediate responsibility for its poisoning of our ecosystems and the state to take decisive action to protect New Mexicans from PFAS contamination,” said Environment Secretary James Kenney. “We must double down on our demand of the U.S. Air Force to cleanup PFAS in our state while telling manufacturers who pour PFAS-laden consumer goods into New Mexico homes — do better.”
In response to these findings, the New Mexico Department of Health today issued a health advisory to hunters who have consumed waterfowl from Holloman Lake between 2010 and 2024. While the lake has been closed to hunting since last year, it remains open to camping and birding.
Analysis of animal livers from birds and small mammals showed staggering PFAS levels between 10,000 and 120,000 nanograms per gram (ng/g). The 120,000 ng/g result came from the liver of a Merriam’s kangaroo rat — thought to be the highest recorded concentration of PFAS in any wild animal worldwide.
Concentrations found in plants told a similar story. A salt cedar sample in the area showed a concentration of 30,000 ng/g — thought to be a worldwide record for PFAS concentration in a plant.
Multiple symptoms of PFAS contamination were also observed in nearby wildlife. High rates of abnormal growths and ulcers were found among small mammals in and around Holloman Lake. Bird nests were found to be failing to hatch — a sign of deep contamination in waterfowl reproductive systems.
“The extraordinary levels of toxic PFAS contamination at Holloman Lake will harm our waterfowl, wildlife, and other natural resources for generations to come and will prevent New Mexicans, whether they’re hikers, hunters, or birders, from enjoying what is rightfully theirs,” said New Mexico Natural Resources Trustee Maggie Hart Stebbins. “Air Force leadership needs to acknowledge the enormity of the injury to our state and take responsibility for restoring those resources as federal law requires.”
As waterfowl found at Holloman Lake are migratory, there is also risk of PFAS-contaminated birds flying into other popular hunting sites throughout New Mexico and the broader West. Although more studies are needed to capture the scope of such routes, NMED is advising all hunters to take precautions when consuming wild game and to not eat any wild game that may be associated with Holloman Lake migratory paths.
A University of New Mexico study released in February 2024 found that the average PFAS concentrations in just one gram of duck meat from Holloman Lake exceeded the lifetime exposure limit recommended for humans.
As previously documented by the Environment Department, PFOS concentrations in Holloman Lake are as high as 5,900 ng/L (equivalent to parts per trillion) and PFHxS concentrations are 7,400 to 16,000 ng/L. The PFAS levels in Holloman Lake are as high as 1,600 times the drinking water standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Environment Department has documented PFAS-laden foams on the shoreline of Holloman Lake blowing out of the lake and onto the shoreline by gusts of wind further spreading the contamination, resulting in greater human and wildlife exposure.
NMED is also introducing a two-bill package in the ongoing legislative session aiming to reduce the risk of PFAS and hazardous waste contamination to New Mexicans. The PFAS Protection Act, a bill proposed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, will protect consumers from PFAS exposure to consumer products. Meanwhile a set of amendments to the Hazardous Waste Act will give the state of New Mexico authority to list harmful substances, such as discarded PFAS, as hazardous wastes, leading to quicker cleanup, including around military bases and communities.
To view the full visit: Report: Ecological Research on PFAS Contamination of Wildlife at Holloman Lake.
New Mexico Department of Health advisory issued for Holloman Lake
Report finds record-high PFAS levels in wildlife and plants
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has issued a health advisory to hunters or anyone who consumed or captured wildlife from Holloman Lake between 2010 and 2024. This follows a new environmental report revealing record-breaking levels of contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations in plants and wildlife.
According to the New Mexico Environmental Department (NMED) report released Monday, samples show the highest PFAS levels ever recorded in any wild animal and plant worldwide.
“The levels of PFAS contamination in Holloman Lake are deeply concerning, particularly for hunters who may have consumed waterfowl from the area over the past decade,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, medical director for NMDOH. “PFAS exposure has been linked to serious health problems, and we encourage anyone who has consumed game from this region and has concerns to talk to their healthcare provider.”
The NMED report highlights the need for additional testing of waterfowl and oryx samples to better characterize the risk to hunters outside the immediate footprint of contamination at Holloman Lake/Holloman Air Force Base.
Potential health risks associated with exposure to PFAS include:
- Increased cholesterol levels.
- Reduced birth weight.
- Kidney and testicular cancer.
- Pregnancy-induced hypertension.
- Liver enzyme changes.
For more information about PFAS visit the New Mexico Environment Department webpage about PFAS at the following links:
- PFAS in New Mexico
- Talking to your doctor about exposure to PFAS
- PFAS Information for Clinicians
- Guidance of PFAS Exposure, Testing, and Clinical Follow up
- How to reduce your exposure to PFAS
- Report: Ecological Research on PFAS Contamination of Wildlife at Holloman Lake
Hollomon Lake, located near Alamogordo, serves as the wastewater reservoir for Holloman Air Force Base. While hunting at the lake has been prohibited since 2024, it remains open for camping and birding.
