# 2024-31776: VA Finally Admits Desert Dust Causes Cancer in Veterans

2024-31776, Presumptive Service Connection for Leukemias, Multiple Myelomas, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Myelofibrosis Due to Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter, is a Federal Register rule from an unnamed agency published 2025-01-10, effective 2025-01-10; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-31776
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2024-31776
- Title: Presumptive Service Connection for Leukemias, Multiple Myelomas, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Myelofibrosis Due to Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: unknown
- Citation: unknown
- Published: 2025-01-10
- Effective: 2025-01-10
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

VA Finally Admits Desert Dust Causes Cancer in Veterans

## Summary

Starting January 10, 2025, veterans who served in certain Southwest Asia and related areas during the Gulf War and after September 11, 2001, can now get automatic VA benefits if they develop certain blood cancers linked to tiny air pollution particles. This change makes it easier and faster for affected veterans to get the help and money they deserve. Veterans and the public can share their thoughts on this rule until March 11, 2025.

## Abstract

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this interim final rule (IFR) to amend its adjudication regulations to establish presumptive service connection for acute leukemias, chronic leukemias, multiple myelomas, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and myelofibrosis due to exposure to Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM<INF>2.5</INF>). The new presumptions would apply to veterans who served on active military, naval, air, or space service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations or Somalia during the Persian Gulf War (hereafter Gulf War) on or after August 2, 1990, and in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen during the Gulf War on or after September 11, 2001.

## Effects PRIA read

- Presumed Leukemias and Myelomas for Gulf War Vets: benefit, high. Starting January 10, 2025, veterans who served on active military, naval, air, or space service in the Southwest Asia theater or Somalia on or after August 2, 1990, or in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, or Yemen on or after September 11, 2001, will have acute leuke…
- MDS and Myelofibrosis Now Presumed: benefit, high. Beginning January 10, 2025, veterans who served in the same listed locations and dates (on or after August 2, 1990, or on or after September 11, 2001, as described) will have myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myelofibrosis presumed service-connected due to PM2.5 exposure. VA added these condition…

## Related documents

- [2026-20736](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20736): Air Plan Approval; Michigan; Clean Data Determination for the Berrien, MI and Muskegon, MI Areas for the 2015 Ozone Standards, 2026-10-09
- [2026-20757](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20757): Schedules of Controlled Substances; Removal of Exemption Status for Inactive Butalbital Products, 2026-10-09
- [2026-20727](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20727): Medical Devices; Immunology and Microbiology Devices; Classification of the System for Detection of Nucleic Acid From Non-Viral Microorgani…, 2026-10-09
- [2026-20792](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20792): Raisins Produced From Grapes Grown in California; Order Amending Marketing Order No. 989, 2026-10-09
- [C1-2026-20019](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/C1-2026-20019): Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish Reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 2026-10-09
- [2026-20748](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20748): Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of O-Desmethyltramadol in Schedule I; Correction, 2026-10-09

## Sources
- [2024-31776 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/10/2024-31776/presumptive-service-connection-for-leukemias-multiple-myelomas-myelodysplastic-syndromes-and)
- [2024-31776 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-01-10/pdf/2024-31776.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2024-31751, Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements Under Title VII, the ADA, GINA, and th…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-31751)
- [Next: 2024-31779, Ruling on Regulatory Interpretation for Business Establishment Services](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-31779)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-31776 (as of 2026-06-11).