Naval Weapons Station Earle Site A

⚠ Superfund · Cleanup underway

NWSE is being addressed through a base-wide remedial investigation focused on contamination at individual areas as well as the additive effects of contamination on each watershed at the facility. Cleanup activities are fast-tracked at areas of more immediate concern.

Location

CityColts Neck
CountyMonmouth County
StateNew Jersey
Coordinates40.26458, -74.16292

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 11/01/1980
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 10/15/1984
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 08/30/1990
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 09/27/1990
  5. Remedy Selected — 09/25/1997
  6. Final Remedy Selected — 09/18/2014
  7. Remedial Action Started — 02/02/1998
  8. Construction Completed — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  10. Most Recent Five-Year Review — 03/27/2023

EPA references

Other Superfund sites in Monmouth County

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

Naval Weapons Station Earle Site A is a federal Superfund site in New Jersey. 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-dichloroethene, aluminum, arsenic. Contamination has been detected in groundwater, soil.

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.