Fort Wainwright is a large U.S. Army installation on the eastern edge of Fairbanks, Alaska, covering about 900,000 acres. The EPA added it to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990 after decades of industrial activity, including aircraft maintenance, vehicle repair, landfill operations, and power generation, left behind widespread contamination. About 15,000 people live and work on the base and drink from wells near contaminated areas. The Chena River runs through parts of the site and is used by local residents for subsistence fishing and recreation.
Contaminants affect groundwater, soil, and sediments across the site. Groundwater contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and vinyl chloride, along with metals including cadmium, chromium, and manganese, and pesticides such as aldrin, dieldrin, and DDT. Soil contamination includes lead, arsenic, diesel fuel, gasoline, and polycyclic aromatic compounds. Specific areas have additional concerns: dioxin (TCDD) was found at the DRMO Yard, heptachlor and beryllium near the landfill and power plant, and trichloropropane at the Tanana Munitions area. Fuel-related contamination including gasoline, kerosene, and total petroleum hydrocarbons appears at the Birch Hill Tank Farm.
The U.S. Army is responsible for cleanup under a Federal Facilities Agreement signed with EPA and Alaska in 1992. Cleanup construction ran from 1997 to 2002 and included soil excavation, soil vapor extraction, groundwater extraction and treatment, landfill capping, and drum removal. A 2007 amendment added the Former Communication Site after hazardous debris and drums turned up during a housing project. The site is divided into 22 operable units (OUs), distinct areas tackled separately. Several OUs have completed remedial actions, while 14 still lack final decision documents and remain under review.
EPA's most recent five-year review, completed in September 2021, found that current actions protect human health and the environment in the short term. However, there is insufficient data to confirm that human exposure is fully under control or that contaminated groundwater movement has stabilized. Long-term protection depends on continued monitoring, fence inspections, institutional controls, and swift action if monitoring shows significant plume changes. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
Community members who want to stay informed or ask questions can contact the EPA Remedial Project Manager or the Community Involvement Coordinator. Site documents are available at the Directorate of Public Works Building 3023 at Fort Wainwright, the Noel Wien Library in Fairbanks, and the EPA Region 10 Superfund Record Center in Seattle. The Fort Wainwright Restoration Program website also lists current public involvement opportunities.
