The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the U.S. Air Force is now in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act Order it was issued in May, concerning per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS at the Tucson International Airport Area Superfund Site (TIAASS).
After several months of discussions, the Air Force submitted a letter to EPA outlining its plan for addressing drinking water safety and PFAS contamination cleanup.
In a letter to the EPA, the Air Force also said it is willing to enter into an interim settlement agreement with the City of Tucson and Tucson Airport Authority, agreeing to cover 50% of past water treatment plant costs and 50% of future pre-treatment plant costs after federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) dollars are used.
However, it wrote that the Department of Justice (DOJ) reserves the right to negotiate final settlements once the EPA determines the PFAS remedy for the Tucson Airport Remediation Project (TARP).
Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Air Force intends to investigate PFAS releases on or from the Air Force Plant 44 (AFP 44) and Morris Air National Guard Base (MANG), working alongside the Tucson International Airport Authority’s similar efforts.
CERCLA, also known as Superfund, authorizes the EPA to clean up hazardous waste, pollutants, and contaminants in the environment.
The Air Force will also explore ways to limit the migration of PFAS from the National Guard base and assess if the existing groundwater treatment plant could effectively treat PFAS and take interim steps to control “hot spots.”
At AFP 44, the Air Force will study how to treat PFAS releases, design a treatment system to add to a groundwater treatment plant, and take action to control “hot spots.”
The EPA is approving the preliminary plan in the letter and will continue to collaborate with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).
