Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station

Overview

Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station is an active military base in Havelock, North Carolina. It was added to the National Priorities List in December 1994. The site sits near Slocum and Hancock Creeks and the Neuse River. Contamination stems from decades of military operations and affects groundwater, soil, sediment, and surface water.

Contaminants found at the site include volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, and vinyl chloride. Heavy metals including arsenic, lead, chromium, and mercury are present, along with pesticides like DDT, aldrin, and dieldrin. Polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and various semi-volatile organic compounds have also been identified. The EPA determined these substances pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment based on the amounts detected and the pathways by which people and wildlife could be exposed.

The Navy leads cleanup with oversight from the EPA and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources under a Federal Facilities Agreement signed in 2005. The site is divided into 17 operable units. Cleanup methods used across the site include groundwater treatment systems, soil vapor extraction, air sparging, monitored natural attenuation, permeable reactive barriers, bioremediation, soil excavation, and capping. Several operable units have reached no further action or long-term monitoring status. Two newer operable units address PFAS contamination at the former fire station and an adjacent area of concern, and both are still in early investigation phases. Land use restrictions limit the site to industrial purposes and prohibit groundwater use except for monitoring. Fencing and warning signs control access.

Current performance measures show that human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Physical construction of cleanup work is not yet complete across the entire site. The most recent five-year review was completed on May 4, 2023, and the next is estimated between May and July 2028. One operable unit covering several sub-sites has an estimated final remedial action start date between February and April 2028.

Community members can stay involved through the base's Restoration Advisory Board, which meets several times per year and is open to people who live or work in the affected area. The NAVFAC Mid Atlantic Public Affairs Office can be reached at (757) 445-8732, extension 3096, or by email at NRFK_NFECML_Public_Affairs@navy.mil.