Newport Naval Education and Training Center, now called Naval Station Newport, sits on 1,063 acres across Aquidneck Island and part of Gould Island in Rhode Island. The Navy ran it as a refueling depot from 1900 to the mid-1970s and later as a training center. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in November 1989, and remedial investigation began in March 1992. The site is organized into 20 operable units covering landfills, tank farms, shipyard areas, groundwater zones, and asbestos sites.
Contamination spans soil, groundwater, and sediment across most of the site. Metals such as arsenic, lead, chromium, and manganese appear in multiple locations. Volatile organic compounds including trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, and vinyl chloride are present in groundwater. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and PCBs show up in soil, sediment, and groundwater. Asbestos, pentachlorophenol, dieldrin, and 1,4-dioxane have also been found. Recent basewide testing detected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater at most contaminated areas, with additional investigations planned. Tidal action in Narragansett Bay can carry contamination to the shore and nearby wetlands.
The U.S. Navy leads cleanup under oversight by EPA and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Completed work includes a cap on the McAllister Point Landfill in the 1990s, soil excavation or capping at multiple tank farms between 2007 and 2017, and removal of roughly 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from Derecktor Shipyard in 2017. However, sinkholes found after that construction revealed contaminated soil fell through a deteriorated bulkhead wall into nearby sediments. The Navy is replacing that bulkhead, with completion expected by 2030. Active work continues at Carr Point, which began remedial action in October 2024. Tank farms 2 and 3 are scheduled for removal work between April and November 2027. Additional removals and remedial actions at other areas are planned through 2028. EPA assessments indicate human exposure is currently under control, but groundwater migration status remains uncertain due to insufficient data.
Institutional controls are in place across the site. A basewide instruction prohibits using groundwater for drinking water and digging in contaminated areas. Fishing is restricted at some locations. Zoning prevents residential development in areas where cleanup levels would not support it. These controls remain in effect as long as contamination or cleanup components are present. The most recent five-year review was completed on December 12, 2024.
Community members can get involved through the Restoration Advisory Board, which meets every other month on the third Wednesday of odd-numbered months from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at Sonesta Select Newport Middletown in Middletown, Rhode Island. Virtual attendance is available. Meeting notices appear in The Newport Daily News. Anyone with questions can also contact EPA or state agency staff directly using the site contacts.
