Kiggans, Warner & Kaine introduce bills to address contaminated drinking water on Chincoteague

Chincoteague Island Lighthouse. Patrick Henderickson Highcamera Aerial Photographic Service.

A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress this week seeks to ensure safe drinking water for Chincoteague residents by addressing long-standing PFAS contamination issues. The Contaminated Wells Relocation Act, introduced by Representatives Jen Kiggans (VA-02) and Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), along with Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, would authorize NASA to reimburse the town for relocating contaminated wells to a safe location.

The contamination stems from firefighting foam used on Wallops Island between the late 1970s and 1998, when the property was owned by the Navy. The affected wells, now on NASA-owned land, provide drinking water to Chincoteague residents. While NASA currently provides temporary clean water access, the bill would enable a permanent solution by funding the wells’ relocation.

“When families turn on their sinks, they should never have to worry about the quality of their water,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. The legislation would require NASA’s administrator to submit a relocation plan to Congress within 18 months. Similar language was already included in the 2024 NASA Reauthorization Act, which passed the House with strong bipartisan support in a 366-21 vote.

The bill represents a crucial step toward resolving a decades-old environmental issue affecting the Eastern Shore community. NASA has agreed to fund the well relocation but requires specific legislative authority to do so, which this bill would provide.