Homestead Air Force Base sits in southeastern Miami-Dade County, about 25 miles south of Miami. The EPA added it to the National Priorities List in 1990 after years of military operations left behind hazardous wastes including paints, paint thinners, pesticides, solvents, waste oils, waste gasoline, and hydraulic fluids. Most of these materials were disposed of on site before proper hazardous waste management programs existed. The site is a federal facility, meaning the Air Force is responsible for cleanup while the EPA serves as the lead regulatory agency overseeing the work.
Contamination is spread across 35 distinct areas called operable units, covering locations such as fire training areas, aircraft maintenance facilities, fuel spill zones, pesticide storage areas, and a motor pool. Over 80 chemical substances have been identified as contaminants of concern. These include metals like arsenic, lead, chromium, cadmium, and mercury, petroleum-related compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and naphthalene, industrial chemicals such as trichloroethene and chloroform, pesticides including chlordane and heptachlor epoxide, and phthalate compounds. Soil and groundwater are the primary affected media, though surface water and sediment are also impacted in some areas.
The Air Force began cleanup in the early 1990s. The main approach was removing contaminated soil and underlying limestone rock and replacing it with clean fill. As part of one operable unit's cleanup strategy, the Air Force funded construction of a manmade wetland near Biscayne Bay to help distribute fresh water safely into the environment. Land use controls and institutional controls remain in place in areas limited to industrial use. Physical construction of cleanup activities was completed in 2006. Groundwater has been stabilized so contaminated plumes remain in their original areas, and the Air Force continues to monitor groundwater until it meets federal and state standards. Human exposures are described as under control, and remaining contamination is not considered a threat to residents and businesses nearby.
Several areas still require further work. The Air Force is investigating two munitions areas and evaluating 19 operable units to determine what additional effort is needed to reach unrestricted use. A sitewide investigation into PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination began in December 2025. Combined studies for two other units are estimated to finish in 2026 and 2028. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List. The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2025. About half the former base now operates as an Air Reserve Base, and most of the rest has been transferred to Miami-Dade County for uses including storage and fire department training.
Community members can stay informed through EPA fact sheets, public notices, and public meetings. The Public Information Repository is located at the Installation Restoration Program office at Homestead Air Reserve Base, 482d SPTG/CEV, 360 Coral Sea Boulevard, Homestead, Florida 33039-1299. The EPA Remedial Project Manager, Rob Pope, can also answer questions directly.
