ALPENA — State Rep. Sue Allor, R-Wolverine, was at the Thunder Bay International Film Festival on Saturday to answer questions and concerns following the viewing of a film on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

The film “The Forever Chemicals” highlights the public health risks associated with the contaminants – more commonly referred to as PFAS or PFOS – and how communities are trying to eliminate those contaminants from drinking water. Detroit Public Television’s initiative Great Lakes Now worked in partnership with MLive Media Group to produce the film.

Members of the audience were interested in learning everything from an update on PFAS testing in Alpena to whether the issues with the contaminants was deterring people from moving to Michigan. PFAS has been found in groundwater at two sites in Alpena – the Combat Readiness Training Center and Alpena Hide and Leather.

Allor said wells near the CRTC were tested and all of them came back with PFAS levels below 70 parts per trillion. The Environmental Protection Agency has established the health advisory levels at 70 parts per trillion. However, she said those wells will continued to be monitored by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

“They’ve recently completed the second round of testing from those wells,” she said.

Allor said she believes by doing the testing, the state is responding in a very appropriate way. She said Michigan is a leader in the country for chasing down PFAS.

“Some of you may have heard that we’ve got the highest number of PFAS sites in the country,” she said. “Well, we are probably the only state that has been testing to the extent that we’ve been testing.”

Allor said its been hard to treat the contaminants because they “are a combination of chemicals” and scientists have not been able to identify how to break the bond.

PFAS molecules are made up of a chain of carbon and fluorine atoms linked together, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health. Because the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest ever created, these chemicals do not degrade in the environment.

In addition to The Forever Chemicals, two additional Great Lakes Now films were selected for the festival. Wrecks Within Reach played Friday at the opening of the festival in Alpena. Sinkhole Science played Wednesday at the Rogers City Theater as well as Saturday at the Great Lakes Heritage Museum.

Stephanie Gandulla, media coordinator with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, on Saturday told the audience they will be launching a partnership with the Great Lakes Now series to celebrate the marine sanctuary’s 20th anniversary. She said the partnership will include showing their programs for free every single Saturday throughout the year.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.