Fairhope, Alabama thefairhopetimes.blogspot.com
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| OLF Silverhill on CR 54 |
AROUND NAVY'S AIRFIELD
Additional testing of private water wells is underway around the Navy's Silverhill training airfield on CR 54 to determine possible levels of contamination with PFAS, that was used in firefighting foam there at one time. Latest public data showed 74 total wells tested with 7 wells requiring further investigation/remediation. (Testing started in about 2021.)
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are a group of thousands of human-made synthetic chemicals widely known as "forever chemicals" because they do not easily break down in the environment or the human body.
According to the Navy's public announcements (click): "The Navy is requesting property owner permission to sample private drinking water wells in the sampling areas near OLF Silverhill. Due to improvements in laboratory methods, the Navy is also requesting property owner permission to resample private drinking water wells that were sampled from 2021 through 2024. Additionally, the Navy is requesting property owner permission to take interim actions to address PFAS at private drinking water wells sampled from 2021 through the present where PFAS were detected at or above the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells or PFOA and/or PFOS were above EPA NPDWR Levels
The Department fully investigates a PFAS release and determines the appropriate cleanup actions based on risk. Through June 30, 2026, DoW has determined that 727 active military installations, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) locations, National Guard facilities, and Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) properties require an assessment of PFAS use or potential release.
DoW performed or is performing Preliminary Assessments/Site Inspections (PA/SIs) at these 727 installations, which is the first phase of the cleanup process. As of June 30, 2026, DoW has completed the PA/SI phase at 709 installations. The Department has determined that no further action is required at 119 of these installations, while 590 are proceeding to the next step in the (CERCLA) process (i.e., RI/FS). DoW will continue to prioritize sites as they move into the RI/FS phase based on relative risk. Through the RI/FS phase, the DoW will determine appropriate cleanup actions based on the extent of the release, the impacted media, and identified risk.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2026 was signed into law on December 18, 2025. This allows the Navy to offer interim actions (such as connection to public drinking water or a treatment system) for downgradient households in the community that receive water from private drinking water wells where levels of PFOA and/or PFOS exceed the EPA NPDWR Levels. As of that date, at least one home in the community qualified for alternative drinking water from the Navy as a result of a PFAS release at OLF Silverhill."