Whiting Field Naval Air Station is an active Navy installation near Milton, Florida. It was added to the EPA's Superfund National Priorities List in May 1994 after decades of aircraft operations left soil and groundwater contaminated with petroleum products, pesticides, and solvents. The Navy leads cleanup efforts, with oversight from EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). A 2009 Federal Facilities Agreement between the three agencies set enforceable schedules and milestones for completing the work.
Contaminants found at the site include metals such as arsenic, barium, beryllium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc. Petroleum-related substances, trichloroethene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the pesticide dieldrin, and the industrial chemical aroclor 1242 are also present in soil and groundwater. Perfluorinated compounds have been detected in groundwater both on and off the installation and are being investigated. The Navy installed granulated activated carbon filters on the installation's drinking water supply wells to prevent exposure above federal or state drinking water standards. Current assessments show that human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
The site is organized into 30 operable units, each covering a distinct contaminated area. Cleanup actions for most units were completed between 1999 and 2014, and two units focused on unexploded ordnance removal finished in 2019 and 2023. Eight units received "No Action" or "No Further Action" determinations. Remedies across the site range from land-use restrictions and engineered caps to excavation with offsite disposal and solidification of contaminants. A 2023 cleanup plan for the Former Gunnery Area added soil removal, limits on land use to non-residential purposes, and prohibitions on soil disturbance. Operable units 24 and 25 are expected to reach a final cleanup decision by May to July 2028, and unit 25 began its remedial investigation in March 2025. Unit 28 completed its remedial investigation in 2023 and is in the remedial design phase, with remedial action estimated for 2027.
Five-Year Reviews completed in 2006, 2012, 2016, and 2021 have all found that cleanup actions continue to protect people from remaining contamination. The most recent review was completed in September 2021, and the next is estimated for August to October 2026. Physical construction of cleanup work is not yet complete, and the site has not been deleted from the National Priorities List.
Community members can view Superfund records at the West Florida Regional Library at 805 Alabama Street in Milton, Florida. The Navy previously operated a Restoration Advisory Board for public engagement but discontinued it due to lack of participation. People with questions can contact the Navy directly or the EPA staff assigned to the site.
