In 1990, the U.S. Navy signed a Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) with EPA and the state to address site contamination. EPA divided the site into four separate areas, or operable units (OUs), to better address cleanup. The OUs address landfill areas, fire training areas, waste storage and disposal areas, and site ditches.
| City | Whidbey Island |
|---|---|
| County | Island County |
| State | Washington |
| Coordinates | 48.34422, -122.66370 |
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Ault Field is a federal Superfund site in Washington. 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: Construction complete. Physical construction of the cleanup remedy is complete, though long-term monitoring and institutional controls typically continue for years or decades. Groundwater treatment systems, for example, often run long after surface cleanup finishes.
EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene. Contamination has been detected in soil, groundwater, sediment, 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.