Military Sites With Known or Suspected Discharges of PFAS

Data, Graphs, and Maps

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Civics, Health

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Environmental Working Group (EWG)

Open Resource

What it is

This map shows 721 military sites with confirmed or suspected PFAS, or forever chemicals, in the United States.
Students can click the markers on the map to read about the suspected source of the contamination and the type of PFAS present in the test results.

Teaching tips

Positives

Students can easily toggle layers on and off, making it easier to see data as needed.
Each data site has an informative pop-up that provides additional information.

Prerequisites

Students should understand what PFAS are and the risks they pose.

Differentiation & Implementation

Either before or after students analyze the map, teachers can show this video to help contextualize PFAS and give an example of community action.
To make connections to environmental justice and environmental racism, students can analyze this data in conjunction with demographic data for the communities surrounding contaminated sites.
To make connections to climate change, teachers can discuss the impact of climate change on water supplies and emphasize the need for clean drinking water.
Teachers can expand on this by digging deeper into the environmental impacts of the military. This video can help touch on some of the other environmental impacts.

From the scientist review

Though the webpage does provide a brief description of PFAS and how these chemicals likely contaminated the area, additional discussion or resources may be needed depending on the students' background or the topic of the lesson. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Civics, Health
Language: English
Location: North America > United States
Provider: Environmental Working Group (EWG)
Authors: Environmental Working Group (EWG)
Published: March 4, 2026
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Geo.2.6-8 + 7 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Geo.2.6-8Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions, and changes in their environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.5.9-12Evaluate how political and economic decisions throughout time have influenced cultural and environmental characteristics of various places and regions.
D2.Geo.9.9-12Evaluate the influence of long-term climate variability on human migration and settlement patterns, resource use, and land uses at local-to-global scales.
D2.Civ.5.9-12.Evaluate citizens' and institutions' effectiveness in addressing civil and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.

National Health Education Standards

1.8.3Analyze how the environment affects personal health.
1.8.9Examine the potential seriousness of injury or illness if engaging in unhealthy behaviors.

New Jersey Climate Education Hub

Comprehensive Health & Physical Education

2.1.12.CHSS.7:Describe how individuals and local, state, and global advocacy organizations can collaborate to address common local and global health and social issues (e.g., hunger, clean water, organ/tissue donation).

Social Studies

6.1.12.GeoHE.14.a:Evaluate the impact of individual, business, and government decisions and actions on the environment and climate change and assess the efficacy of government policies and agencies in New Jersey and the United States in addressing these decisions.

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Teaching tips

From the scientist review

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