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Incident location map. Summary Date: May 18, 2005 View detailed information from database on this site.arrow
Status: Active Database Name: EiAFB, or Eielson AFB
Location: Eielson AFB, Alaska, near Fairbanks Latitude: 64.7 Longitude: -147.1
DEC Contaminated Sites contact: Kim DeRuyter, DEC Project Manager, 907-451-2752
  Katie Beutel, Alternate DEC Project Manager, 907-421-2158
U.S. Air Force contact: David Beistel, AF Project Manager, 907-377-4299
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contact: Aaron Lambert, EPA Project Manager, 206-553-5122
Area map

Description
Eielson Air Force Base (AFB) is an active installation established in 1944. The mission of the base is to train and equip soldiers for close air support of ground troops in an arctic environment (Eielson AFB, 2005). Eielson AFB is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. The base encompasses approximately 20,000 acres, most of which is undeveloped forests, wetlands, and ponds. Approximately 3,600 acres have been developed. The base is located on the Tanana River floodplain and the slopes of the Yukon-Tanana uplands. Approximately 5,500 people live on base, with other personnel living in the nearby communities of North Pole, Salcha, and Moose Creek. The groundwater resources on base are used for drinking water and industrial, domestic, agricultural, and firefighting needs.

In November 1989, Eielson AFB was listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) of federal Superfund sites by the Environmental Protection Agency. In the 1994 Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study for Eielson AFB, 66 source areas of possible contamination were found. These sites are evaluated through the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). In the 1995 Record of Decision for Eielson AFB, 29 areas were divided into six Operable Units based on common characteristics or contaminants, and 31 other areas of contamination were evaluated through a source evaluation process (SER). The remaining contaminated sites are addressed through ADEC regulations.

Photo, Garrison Slough
At Garrison Slough, PCB contamination has impacted the sediments and fish tissue. A fishing restriction is in place for Garrison Slough.

Gates in Garrison Slough
Gates in Garrison Slough which prevent the
passage of fish into and out of the
contaminated reach of the slough.

Excavation at Garrison Slough
Excavation of large underground
storage tank on base.

Public Health and Environmental Concerns
Groundwater has been contaminated with lead and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, and tetrachloroethylene (PCE). Used oils, solvents, and fuel have been discharged onto the ground and into the soil. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides have been identified in soils and sediments at Garrison Slough.

People may be exposed to these pollutants through dermal contact or accidental ingestion of contaminated soil or water. Contaminants such as PCBs or pesticides may bioaccumulate in fish and may pose a health threat to humans if consumed.

Current Status
In the 1995 Record of Decision, many of the potential sites were found not to pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment and were closed by EPA and ADEC (the five-year Record of Decision Review for 2003 describing this action is available on the Eielson website). Several sites were given a conditional closure and were placed under "institutional controls" to prevent people from being exposed to any remaining contamination.

Remediation activities occurred during the 1990's at many of the contaminated sites on Eielson AFB. Petroleum-contaminated soil was excavated and treated by landfarming. Soil caps were installed to prevent human exposure to contamination and limit the transport of contamination. Other sites had active remediation systems installed such as soil vapor extraction, bioventing, and free-product recovery wells.

At Garrison Slough, PCB contamination has impacted the sediments and fish. A portion of the PCB-contaminated sediments have been excavated, and the PCB contamination in fish tissue and sediments continue to be monitored. A fishing restriction is in place for Garrison Slough and physical fish gates restrict the passage of fish into and out of the contaminated area.

Currently, most of the sites are in a long-term monitoring program to ensure contaminant plumes are stable or decreasing and are not moving offsite or to drinking water wells. Several sites are still being treated by active remediation systems.

Institutional controls, such as restriction of ground-water use in certain areas, fishing advisory, and a dig permitting process for construction activities, are in place at Eielson AFB to prevent exposure to any remaining contamination.

More Information

Contaminated Sites Database reports - There are a number of individual "contaminated sites" on the air station, and reports on the status of each is available on DEC's database. To see more, go to our database page and choose "Eielson AFB" in the City field. The list below are a number of the major ones. We have a glossary available to help you with any acronyms used in the reports.

DEC fact sheets

  • Cleanup process for contaminated sites (PDF 304K)
  • How DEC Makes Cleanup Decisions (PDF 20K)
  • Introduction to Groundwater (PDF 412K)
  • Understanding Contaminant Concentrations (PDF 164K)
  • Department of Defense Cleanups (PDF 59K)
  • Environmental Laws (PDF 39K)
  • Cleanup Methods (PDF 171K)