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NPL Site Narrative for Andrews Air Force Base
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE
Camp Springs, Maryland
Federal Register Notice: May 10, 1999Conditions at Proposal (July 1998): Andrews Air Force Base (AAFB) is an active U.S. Department of Defense facility that occupies about 4,360 acres of land in Camp Springs, Prince George's County, Maryland, about 5 miles southeast of Washington, DC. AAFB was established as the Camp Springs Army Air Field in 1942 and became AAFB in 1947. AAFB serves as the headquarters of the 89th Air Wing and is host to about 50 tenant units. AAFB supports worldwide airlift support operations for the President of the United States and other high-ranking domestic and foreign dignitaries, and supports the flight operations of more than 100 aircraft.
Investigations have revealed the presence of numerous hazardous substances on site. These substances include lead, mercury, chromium, and cadmium; volatile organic compounds, such as tetrachloroethene; semivolatile organic compounds, predominantly polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons such as acenaphthene, benzo(a)pyrene, and fluoranthene; and polychlorinated biphenyls.
The five sources at AAFB evaluated in the documentation record include two fire training areas, a sludge disposal area, a landfill, and two contiguous landfills. These sources are located within the watershed of Piscataway Creek, which discharges into the Potomac River beyond the 15-mile target distance limit.
Lead and numerous semivolatile organic compounds have been detected at significantly elevated concentrations in Piscataway Creek. Lead has been documented as being present in Piscataway Creek at concentrations above the Ambient Water Quality Criteria. Surface water migration pathway targets include wetlands, a fishery in Piscataway Creek downstream of AAFB, migratory runs of anadromous fish, and an area of critical state concern.
Status (May 1999): EPA and the Maryland Department of the Environment are continuing to work with the U.S. Air Force to investigate and clean up the site.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.