The Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program has identified more than 700 military installations where PFAS contamination has been documented or is under investigation. The majority of confirmed contamination sites are associated with historical use of AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam) during firefighting training and emergency response operations.

The following Naval and Marine Corps installations have documented PFAS contamination in federal environmental records, DoD installation restoration databases, or published ATSDR health consultations and public health assessments.

NAS Pensacola — Pensacola, Florida One of the Navy’s oldest and largest aviation training installations. AFFF was used extensively during flight training operations. PFAS contamination has been documented in groundwater and at off-base locations. NAS Pensacola also hosts training commands for multiple aviation ratings.

NAS Jacksonville — Jacksonville, Florida Major fleet air base on the southeastern Atlantic coast. Federal environmental records document PFAS contamination in groundwater associated with historical AFFF use at firefighting training areas and flight line operations.

NAS Oceana — Virginia Beach, Virginia Master Jet Base for East Coast strike-fighter operations. AFFF use during flight operations and crash-rescue training is documented. PFAS has been detected in nearby private wells, triggering DoD remediation efforts.

NAS Lemoore — Lemoore, California West Coast Master Jet Base. PFAS contamination has been documented in connection with AFFF use at the installation’s firefighting training areas. NAS Lemoore is a primary station for F/A-18 strike-fighter squadrons.

NAS Whidbey Island — Oak Harbor, Washington Home of the Navy’s electronic attack and maritime patrol aviation communities. PFAS contamination in groundwater has been documented in federal environmental records.

NAS Fallon — Fallon, Nevada The Navy’s primary tactical air warfare training center. AFFF was used during live-fire and crash-rescue training exercises at this installation for decades. PFAS contamination has been identified at the installation.

NAS Patuxent River — Lexington Park, Maryland The Navy’s primary naval air systems and test-and-evaluation installation. Extensive flight testing operations involved AFFF firefighting systems. PFAS contamination in groundwater has been documented.

NAS Key West — Key West, Florida Aviation training and fleet readiness installation. PFAS contamination associated with AFFF use at the installation has been documented in federal records.

NAS Corpus Christi — Corpus Christi, Texas Naval aviation training installation. Federal environmental records include PFAS contamination documentation associated with historical AFFF use.

NAS Meridian — Meridian, Mississippi Naval aviation training command. PFAS contamination associated with AFFF firefighting training operations has been documented.

NAS Point Mugu — Point Mugu, California Weapons systems test and evaluation installation. AFFF use during aviation operations has been documented. PFAS contamination at this installation has been identified in federal records.

NAS Barbers Point — Oahu, Hawaii Now Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Former Naval Air Station with documented AFFF use during its operational period. PFAS contamination has been documented in the Pearl Harbor-Hickam area.

Marine Corps Air Stations

MCAS Miramar — San Diego, California Major Marine Corps aviation installation and former site of the Navy Fighter Weapons School. AFFF was used extensively during flight operations and crash-rescue training. PFAS contamination has been documented at and around the installation.

MCAS El Toro — Orange County, California (closed 1999) Former Marine Corps Air Station with documented PFAS contamination from historical AFFF use. The site has been converted to civilian use (Great Park), but PFAS remains an ongoing environmental concern in federal remediation records.

MCAS Cherry Point — Havelock, North Carolina Large Marine Corps aviation depot and air station. PFAS contamination associated with AFFF use has been documented in federal environmental records.

MCAS Beaufort — Beaufort, South Carolina Marine Corps tactical aviation training installation. PFAS contamination from AFFF use at the installation has been documented.

MCAS Yuma — Yuma, Arizona Marine Corps air weapons and tactics training installation. Federal records document PFAS contamination at this installation.

MCAS New River — Jacksonville, North Carolina Marine Corps helicopter and tiltrotor aviation installation adjacent to Camp Lejeune. PFAS contamination has been documented. Camp Lejeune’s broader water contamination history also includes PFAS compounds.

Naval Station Norfolk — Norfolk, Virginia The world’s largest naval station. AFFF systems were maintained across the installation’s extensive pier facilities and aviation support areas. PFAS contamination has been documented in federal environmental records.

Naval Station San Diego — San Diego, California Major Pacific Fleet homeport. AFFF was used aboard ships and at pier-side facilities. PFAS documentation exists in federal records for the broader San Diego Bay Naval Complex.

Naval Station Everett — Everett, Washington Pacific Fleet homeport. PFAS contamination has been documented in association with installation operations.

Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach — Seal Beach, California Ordnance and weapons storage installation with aviation support facilities. PFAS documentation exists in federal records.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord — Washington State Joint Army-Air Force installation with Navy tenant commands. PFAS contamination has been extensively documented and is subject to ongoing federal remediation efforts.

Naval Air Facility El Centro — El Centro, California Winter carrier air wing detachment facility. AFFF use during carrier qualification and winter training operations has been documented.

How Contamination Is Documented

The DoD Environmental Restoration Program maintains installation-level records of PFAS investigation and remediation activities through the Installation Restoration Program (IRP). Records are available through:

  • FOIA requests to the appropriate military branch environmental command
  • ATSDR Health Consultations — published for specific installations where public health concerns have been identified
  • EPA CERCLIS database — for installations listed as Superfund or Superfund Alternative Approach sites
  • State environmental agency records — many states maintain their own PFAS investigation databases for military installations within their borders
  • DoD PFAS webpage — defense.gov maintains a summary of PFAS response activities by installation

VA Resources for Veterans at Contaminated Installations

The VA’s Environmental Health Coordinators can provide information about PFAS-related health resources available to veterans who served at installations with documented contamination. The VA PFAS health registry is accessible through VA medical facilities.

Additional information: VA.gov — PFAS Exposures