Eielson Air Force Base

Overview

Eielson Air Force Base is an active military installation covering roughly 20,000 acres near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in November 1989 after contamination from landfills, tank sludge burial areas, and spill sites affected soil and groundwater across the base. A 1994 investigation identified 66 potential contamination areas. The site is divided into 13 operable units (OUs), each addressing a distinct area or waste type, including fuel storage areas, solvent areas, drum burial areas, landfills, a ski lodge, and off-base locations near Moose Creek.

Contaminants found at the site span several chemical families. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, xylene, trichloroethene, and tetrachloroethene appear in groundwater and soil. Heavy metals including arsenic, lead, and chromium are present in various media. Chlorinated pesticides such as DDT and its breakdown products, dieldrin, and chlordane have been detected in soil. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) appear in soil, groundwater, and sediment. Perfluorooctanoic acid has been found in groundwater off-base in Moose Creek. These contaminants are present in soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and liquid waste.

Cleanup work between 1993 and 1998 included excavating petroleum-contaminated soil, installing soil caps, running soil vapor extraction and bioventing systems, and removing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated soil and sediment from Garrison Slough. A fishing restriction with physical gates remains in place at Garrison Slough. For the off-base Moose Creek area, cleanup involved abandoning a water supply well and connecting residents to a municipal water system. Several sites continue active remediation through pumping systems, and long-term monitoring tracks whether contaminant plumes are stable and not migrating toward drinking water wells.

Physical construction of cleanup work is complete across the entire site. However, there is not yet enough data to confirm that human exposure is under control or that contaminated groundwater migration has been stabilized. EPA has deferred a full protectiveness statement pending additional characterization and risk assessment. Feasibility studies and remedial investigations for several OUs are estimated to finish between 2025 and 2026. Record of Decision (ROD) Amendments for multiple units are expected in spring and summer 2027, with remaining remedial design and action work continuing through 2028. The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2023. The U.S. Air Force is responsible for remediation work, while EPA and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) conduct annual sitewide monitoring.

Community members can access site documents through EPA's database or at the Public Information Repository located in the Elmer E. Rasmusen Library Archives at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. For questions, residents can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.