Nantucket Residents Honored For PFAS Advocacy

The environmental advocacy group Clean Water Action honored island residents Ayesha Khan Barber, co-founder of the Nantucket PFAS Action Group, along with Nantucket Fire Department Captain Nate Barber and Deputy Chief Sean Mitchell, with the 2023 John O'Connor Grassroots Leadership Award for helping to launch a nationwide effort to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the fire service.

They were honored this week at Clean Water Action’s 2023 Annual Celebration on May 23rd at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham.

“We are excited to honor Ayesha Khan Barber, Captain Nate Barber, Fire Deputy Chief Sean Mitchell, and Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts District 8 Vice President, Jason Burns. They have worked tirelessly at the local and state level to protect firefighters from toxic chemicals, and their efforts to protect their community extend above and beyond the already high expectations of them,” said Elizabeth Saunders, Clean Water Action’s Massachusetts Co-Director.