New Hampshire

High PFAS concentrations found in foam on Seacoast waterways – The Boston Globe

Published

1 year ago

February 19, 2025

High PFAS concentrations found in foam on Seacoast waterways – The Boston Globe

While foam can form naturally as a result of rich organic material such as decaying leaves, it can also be the result of contaminants like PFAS – but you can’t necessarily tell what caused the foam just by looking at it, according to Mouser.

“When community members live in these areas they know are impacted by potential sources of contaminants, they can get concerned about seeing things like that,” said Mouser.

The area Mouser and the citizen scientists studied was near two Superfund Sites in the Seacoast where PFAS have been found, including the former Pease Airforce Base, now the Pease Tradeport, where firefighting foam containing the chemical had been sprayed, and the Coakley Landfill.

PFAS are a man-made class of chemicals common in many consumer products from stain-resistant couches and fabrics to non-stick cooking pans and water-proof jackets.

But too much exposure to PFAS can lead to some health problems for humans, such as increased risk for some kinds of cancer, decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women, and developmental effects or delays in children, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Research is ongoing to figure out how different levels of exposure impact health.

That backdrop led to local concern about the foam.

“We’re seeing these foam accumulations in the local waterways where people recreate, and we wanted to know: Is PFAS accumulating in it?” said Andrea Amico, a Portsmouth resident, who has been advocating on PFAS issues since 2014. “If so, the community should be aware of that. And people should take steps to prevent coming into contact with the foam.”

The New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services provides similar advice, recommending people avoid contact with any surface water foam since foam can contain a much higher level of PFAS than the surrounding water. According to the department, health risks of exposure vary based on how much foam a person is exposed to, how long the exposure lasts, and how frequently it occurs.

A researcher collects a sample of foam to test for the presence of PFAS along a waterway in New Hampshire.University of New Hampshire

The department recommends keeping children and pets away from the foam, since swallowing it can increase the risk for negative health impacts.

There are currently no federal or state standards or screening levels for surface water foams with PFAS, and there are no standard testing methods for the foams, according to the department, which is not currently testing foams for PFAS.

Amico credits a personal exposure for sparking her advocacy and citizen science around PFAS. She said her family was exposed to the substance when her husband worked for a company located at the Pease Tradeport and her children attended daycare there.

“Prior to knowing there was PFAS in the water, my kids drank water there everyday,” she said. Along with two other moms, she went on to push for blood testing to determine how much PFAS was in their blood, in addition to testing for health effects to the community, results that are still pending.

She said it was on a nature walk during the COVID pandemic in 2020 that she remembers first seeing foam accumulating along waterways.

She pushed for testing of the foam she was seeing around the Seacoast, especially since four other states have found foam containing PFAS, including Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Minnesota.

Last July, she began working with Mouser on the research.

“It was validating to have the sample done and to know for sure that PFAS is detected in the foam of our local waterways,” Amico said.

But there are still many unanswered questions. Mouser said she’s working on a proposal for a broader study including other areas where the foaming occurs, how it happens, and where the contaminants go after the foam dissipates back into the water.

Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.

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New Hampshire

Longtime Blue Jays organization member Tamargo tasked with leading New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Published

3 hours ago

March 30, 2026

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Longtime Blue Jays organization member Tamargo tasked with leading New Hampshire Fisher Cats

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New Hampshire

Meet Garret, Your Newest Morning Show Host on 97.5 WOKQ

Published

15 hours ago

March 30, 2026

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Meet Garret, Your Newest Morning Show Host on 97.5 WOKQ

Are you ready for your mornings reimagined?

Hi! I’m Garret Doll (like Ken, but less hair and not as handsome), and I’m teaming up with Katie Killourhy for 97.5 WOKQ’s new morning show, Garret & Katie in the Morning!

You ready to join us?

So, Who Is Garret Doll?

I’ve learned something about myself… I don’t like clutter. Unless it’s my clutter. Then it’s not clutter, it’s a system.

That’s probably a pretty accurate starting point for who I am. A little self-aware, a little stubborn, and definitely someone who knows what he likes. I like tacos, steak tips and lobster rolls. (Fun fact: I’ve never had a lobster roll until moving here.)

How It All Started

This whole radio thing started for me when I was 15. My mom helped me land a job at a radio station in my hometown (cause she worked there), and I fell in love with radio. I’ve never left this career.

I’ve spent my entire adult life doing this job, and I still feel like I lucked into the best job in the world. No two days are the same. One minute you’re talking about life, the next you’re playing your favorite songs, then suddenly you’re out in the community meeting people who feel like friends you’ve known forever.

Most of my career took me to places like Denver, Charleston, and Richmond. Now, somehow, it’s brought me here to New Hampshire.

Honestly, I look at it like a “this is exactly where I’m supposed to be” moment. It’s a new start on life, so to speak. You will learn more about that as we get to know each other and you listen to the show on 97.5 WOKQ.

Why WOKQ Matters to Me

WOKQ is one of those stations you hear about in radio. It’s got history. It’s got heart. And it’s built around a community that actually cares about local connection and country music throughout New England.

That matters to me.

I don’t want to just “be on the radio.” I want to be part of what’s happening here. The towns, the events, the random conversations at a bar, the places you tell your friends they have to check out.

That’s the fun part of all of this.

What I’m All About

I’m a pretty simple dude:

I’m the guy who would give you the shirt off my back

Glass half full (even when it probably shouldn’t be)

Always smiling

Authentic… sometimes too authentic

And yeah, there are definitely moments where I say something before thinking it all the way through.

So if you ever hear me and think, “Did he really just say that?” There’s a decent chance the answer is yes.

Some Quick Hits About Me

Coffee order: Americano

Drink Order: Old Fashioned or just a good local beer

Favorite food: Tacos (not even close)

Guilty pleasure show: The Big Bang Theory

Pet peeve: Close talkers… and people who are late

Random fact: I once got a tattoo of Dopey from the Seven Dwarfs because a girl I was dating wanted one. We got them together. (Don’t worry, it’s been covered up by a microphone and a rose… and I haven’t heard from her in about 20 years)

Let’s Do This Together

I’m new to town, which means I could really use your help.

Where’s your go-to spot when you just want to get outside? Best place to hike? Kayak? Local bar? Just disappear for a few hours?

READ MORE: Hidden Gems in New Hampshire: 5 Secret Places Worth Discovering

Drop me your favorites, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the best recommendations don’t come from Google… they come from you! The ones who actually live it.

And I’m ready to start exploring and getting to know you. So make sure to tune in to Garret & Katie in the Morning! See you there.

BankNH Pavilion: Summer Show Lineup, 2026

Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan

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New Hampshire

2 Hudson, NH, residents arrested after cats found abandoned

Published

1 day ago

March 29, 2026

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2 Hudson, NH, residents arrested after cats found abandoned

HUDSON, N.H. — An animal cruelty investigation led to the arrest of two former tenants who police say left three cats behind in the apartment they were evicted from.

The Hudson Police Department said officers responded to 19 Oliver Drive on Nov. 25 after the town’s animal control officer received a report that multiple cats had been left behind in an apartment previously occupied by Faith Byers, 48, and Kevin Greene, 57.

The pair had reportedly been evicted a week earlier, on Nov. 18.

Police said that attempts to reach Byers and Greene by phone were unsuccessful, and the property owner later confirmed that the two had moved out without taking the cats or arranging for their care.

With the owner’s permission, police entered the apartment and found three cats alone inside the unoccupied residence.

Police said they determined the cats had been left unattended for several days in conditions lacking adequate airflow, sunlight, litter and consistent access to food or water. Police added that no care plan had been made for the animals, and neither former tenant indicated any intention to return for them.

The animals were safely removed and transported to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, where they are now receiving care.

Arrest warrants were issued for Byers and Greene, who are each charged with one count of cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor. They were arrested on Friday and released on personal recognizance bail.

They are scheduled to appear in 9th Circuit Court Nashua District Division at 1 p.m. April 28.

Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.

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