Azores to test cattle for Lajes base pollution
The Azores Regional Government is launching an independent scientific investigation into long-term pollution linked to the Lajes Air Base on Terceira Island. Authorities plan to urgently test local cattle for heavy metal contamination and have commissioned a technical committee to assess health risks to the population.
Lajes Air Base (Base Aérea das Lajes) is a Portuguese military airfield on Terceira Island in the Azores that has served as a strategic mid‑Atlantic stop for military and civilian flights since World War II. Its use for US military refuelling matters because operations there involve Portuguese sovereignty and government approval, so allowing US planes to refuel for missions to the Middle East can create legal and political controversy in Lisbon and the Azores.
