The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and EPA each have assigned roles for overseeing the Air Force's cleanup at the former base’s roughly 9, 000 acres. All removal and remedial decisions have been made for the 54 sites identified on the former base. All Superfund design and construction activities have also been completed.
| City | Limestone |
|---|---|
| County | Aroostook County |
| State | Maine |
| Coordinates | 46.94444, -67.88389 |
Loring Air Force Base is a federal Superfund site in Maine. 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: Ready for anticipated reuse. EPA considers this site ready for anticipated reuse, meaning cleanup has progressed enough for certain land uses. This does not necessarily mean all contamination has been removed — institutional controls like deed restrictions may limit how the land can be used.
EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. Contamination has been detected in groundwater, sediment, soil gas, soil, surface water.
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.