Elmendorf Air Force Base

⚠ Superfund · Cleanup underway

The Air Force signed a federal facilities agreement (FFA) with EPA and the state in 1991 to address site contamination. The Air Force identified over 30 source areas for investigation, and has closed or determined that no further action is required at some of these sites.

Location

CityAnchorage
CountyNot Defined County
StateAlaska
Coordinates61.25417, -149.79170

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 10/07/1988
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 07/14/1989
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 08/30/1990
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 01/01/1992
  5. Remedy Selected — 09/01/1992
  6. Remedial Action Started — 08/11/1993
  7. Construction Completed — Not Yet Achieved
  8. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Most Recent Five-Year Review — 06/27/2024
  10. Achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse — Not Yet Achieved

EPA references

Other Superfund sites in Not Defined County

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

Elmendorf Air Force Base is a federal Superfund site in Alaska. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Cleanup underway. Active cleanup is underway, meaning EPA has approved a remediation plan and work is in progress. Cleanup timelines vary widely — some sites take decades depending on contamination depth, groundwater involvement, and funding availability.

EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane. Contamination has been detected in groundwater, soil, surface water, sediment, soil gas.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.