Camp Lejeune Military Reservation

Overview

Camp Lejeune Military Reservation is a 156,000-acre active military installation in Onslow County, North Carolina. The EPA added it to the Superfund National Priorities List in October 1989 after past base operations contaminated soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater. Cleanup is well underway but not yet complete across the site's 41 operable units.

The contamination is widespread and varied. Trichloroethene, a chlorinated solvent, is the most common contaminant and appears in groundwater at more than 16 site areas. Other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) include tetrachloroethene, benzene, and vinyl chloride. Metals such as lead, arsenic, chromium, and manganese are found in groundwater, soil, and sediment. Pesticides including DDT, dieldrin, and chlordane appear in soil and sediment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), petroleum hydrocarbons, and unexploded ordnance round out the list of contaminants of concern. Twelve site areas are also being investigated for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and available data show PFAS-contaminated groundwater has not migrated off-site.

The U.S. Navy is the lead cleanup agency and works under a Federal Facility Agreement signed in 1991 with the EPA and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). Since 1992, the Navy has removed contaminated soils, storage tanks, and waste liquids from multiple areas. Active cleanup methods include groundwater treatment, soil capping, electrical resistance heating, permeable reactive barriers, air sparging, enhanced reductive dechlorination, and in-situ chemical oxidation. Some areas use monitored natural attenuation, where contamination is tracked to confirm it breaks down naturally. Institutional controls, including fencing and land use restrictions, limit access to contaminated areas. The most recent five-year review, completed July 24, 2025, found that cleanup actions will protect people and the environment once complete. Human exposure to contamination is currently under control, and contaminated groundwater is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Physical construction has not yet been completed across the entire site.

Community members can stay involved through the Restoration Advisory Board, which meets quarterly and gives residents a direct channel to provide input to the Department of Defense and regulators. The base also issues public notices, holds informational meetings, and makes radio announcements. Site records are available at the Onslow County Public Library in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and through the Naval Facilities Engineering Command website.