Marine Corps AIr Station Cherry Point

The Navy and Marine Corps are requesting property owner permission to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in private drinking water wells near Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field (MCALF) Bogue and conduct additional sampling of certain private drinking water wells.

Welcome to the Navy and Marine Corps page for PFAS at MCALF Bogue

Here you will find information about:

• What are PFAS and how have PFAS been released to the environment at MCALF Bogue?

• PFAS releases at MCALF Bogue

• Ongoing PFAS investigation on-Base and next steps

• Private drinking water well sampling near MCALF Bogue

  • Current (2026) private drinking water well sampling near MCALF Bogue

  • Previous (2023) private drinking water well sampling near MCALF Bogue

• Actions based on private drinking water sampling results

• Documents related to the private drinking water well sampling near MCALF Bogue

• Links for more information

Introduction

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of thousands of different chemicals that have been used since the 1950s in many household and industrial products because of their stain- and water- repellent properties. PFAS are now present virtually everywhere in the world because of the large amounts that have been manufactured and used. Once these compounds are released, many of them tend to stay in the environment for a very long time. The Navy, Marine Corps, and the Department of War (DoW), also known as the Department of Defense (DoD), have developed policies to address past releases of PFAS, at installations nationwide.

The most common activity that could have resulted in the historical release of PFAS to the environment at Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field (MCALF) Bogue (Figure 1) is the use of firefighting foam (specifically, aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF) for testing, training, firefighting, and other life-saving emergency responses. Because of this historical use of AFFF, PFAS are present in the groundwater at MCALF Bogue and have been detected in nearby drinking water wells that are located in the direction that groundwater flows away from MCALF Bogue.

Figure 1. Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue

On April 26, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) establishing nationwide drinking water standards for certain PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The regulation applies to public drinking water systems. Operators of public drinking water systems regulated by the NPDWR have until April 2029 to meet these standards. In September 2024, DoD published “Prioritization of Department of Defense Cleanup Actions to Implement the Federal Drinking Water Standards for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program,” which describes DoD’s plans to incorporate the EPA’s drinking water regulation into DoD’s ongoing PFAS cleanups and prioritize actions to address private drinking water wells with the highest levels of PFAS from DoD activities.

Table 1 shows the levels that all of DoD, including the Navy and Marine Corps, is authorized to use to address PFAS in private drinking water wells.

Table 1 presents the DoD PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells. The DoD’s September 2024 policy memorandum can be found here.

These levels are based on current EPA NPDWR levels. If EPA updates applicable requirements, DoD will review and update its policy as appropriate.

Private Drinking Water Well Sampling near MCALF Bogue

Certain PFAS have been detected in groundwater at MCALF Bogue and in private drinking water wells above the DoD PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells. As a result of the detections at MCALF Bogue, a sampling area (Figure 2) was established 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from the locations of these on-Base detections.

Figure 2: Sampling Area near MCALF Bogue

2026 Private Drinking Water Well Sampling

At this time, the Navy and Marine Corps are requesting property owner permission to sample private drinking water wells located in the sampling area (Figure 2) that have not yet been sampled by the Navy and Marine Corps. If your drinking water is provided by West Carteret Water Corporation, the Navy and Marine Corps do not need to sample your drinking water.

The samples will be sent to an accredited, independent laboratory. The laboratory will analyze for the presence of certain PFAS according to EPA-approved methods. The laboratory will then provide the Navy and Marine Corps with preliminary results, after which the preliminary results will be validated by an independent third-party for quality assurance. Once the results are validated, they will be provided to property owners and tenants, approximately 3 months after sampling.

2023 Private Drinking Water Well Sampling

In 2023, the Navy and Marine Corps sampled private drinking water wells based on information that was available at that time about potential PFAS releases at MCALF Bogue. The 2023 sampling area, shown in Figure 2, extended 1 mile from on-Base monitoring wells with PFOA and/or PFOS, individually or combined, above 70 ppt, the Navy’s action level at that time. Table 2 provides a summary of the results of the sampling. Table 3 presents the PFAS detections. There were no detections of PFOA and/or PFOS above 70 ppt.

The Navy and Marine Corps have re-evaluated the 2023 private drinking water well results using the current DoD PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 1). Two private drinking water wells near MCALF Bogue contain PFAS at or above these levels. Once the property owners grant permission, the Navy will install an enduring solution.

Samples 5 through 94 are non-detect for all analyzed PFAS in 2023. The complete data set for all samples is provided in the 2024 Technical Memorandum.

HI - Hazard Index. Calculated for HFPO-DA, PFBS, PFNA, and PFHxS when two or more of these compounds are detected in the sample. Calculated per EPA recommendations (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for Three Individual Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and a Mixture of Four PFAS, 2024) as follows:

PFOA+PFOS is only calculated when both were detected.
Hazard Index is only calculated when two or more of HFPO-DA, PFBS, PFNA, and PFHxS were detected.

J = laboratory estimated value
ppt = parts per trillion

Actions Based on Private Drinking Water Sampling Results

The preliminary results from the private drinking water well sampling are expected approximately 30 days after collecting the samples. Upon receipt of the preliminary results, the Navy and Marine Corps will compare the preliminary results to the DoD PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 1) and notify property owners and tenants (if present) of their drinking water results and any follow-up actions, if needed.

The next steps are then determined based on the results, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Actions Based on Private Drinking Water Sampling Results

The Navy and Marine Corps will address PFAS in private drinking water wells in keeping with the DoD policy:

PFAS at or above the DoD PFAS Interim Actions Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 1). The Navy and Marine Corps will work with property owners to implement an enduring solution as soon as possible. Options for enduring solutions may include connection to public water or installation of a drinking water treatment system. For any drinking water wells with PFOA and PFOS, individually or combined, above 70 ppt, the Navy and Marine Corps can provide bottled water for drinking and cooking to property owners or tenants until a more enduring solution is implemented.

PFAS below the DoD PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 1). For final remedial actions, the Navy and Marine Corps will address drinking water down to EPA NPDWR or background levels in accordance with Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements.

Identification of PFAS Releases at MCALF Bogue

The Navy and Marine Corps finalized a PFAS Preliminary Assessment (PA) in 2020 that identified areas where releases of PFAS may have occurred. Based on the results of the PFAS PA, the Navy and Marine Corps completed a PFAS Site Inspection (SI). Sample collection and analyses of soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment were conducted from August 2019 to July 2021. PFAS were found in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment at MCALF Bogue. The PFAS release areas investigated at MCALF Bogue are listed below and shown on Figure 4. Remedial investigations are ongoing at the following release areas:

• Crash Crew Operations Group (which includes Building 8080 – General Storage Building, the Wash Rack with Oil/Water Separator, and AFFF Spray Test Area)

• Crash Crew Training Area #2 (identified during preparation of the SI Sampling and Analysis Plan)

• Site 29 – Crash Crew Training Area

• Historical Bald Cypress Road Disposal Area

• Airfield Runways Group (which includes the Airfield Runways, Expeditionary Firefighting Rescue Area, and Emergency Response Training Area #2)

• Combat Arms Loading Area

• Emergency Response Training Area #1

• 1982 A-6 Intruder Aircraft Crash Location

• Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Area (which includes the Sanitary WWTP Irrigation Area and the Sanitary WWTP Lagoons)

• Former Buildings 8107 and 8108 – Training Area

Figure 4. PFAS Release Areas at MCALF Bogue

PFAS Investigation at MCALF Bogue and Next Steps

The Navy and Marine Corps will continue investigating PFAS at MCALF Bogue following the CERCLA process and will evaluate if actions are needed. To find out more about the environmental investigations at MCALF Bogue, visit http://www.navfac.navy.mil/BoguePFAS.

The CERCLA process, as depicted in Figure 5, provides a consistent, systematic framework for investigating and cleaning up environmental releases. This approach ensures compliance with federal requirements and protects human health and the environment. Collaboration with regulatory agencies, communities, and other stakeholders is maintained throughout to promote transparency and informed decision-making.

Figure 5. CERCLA Process

MCALF Bogue is currently in the Remedial Investigation (RI) portion of the CERCLA process. This phase involves gathering detailed information about site conditions to define the nature and extent of on-Base PFAS releases. The data collected will support the evaluation of cleanup options. Figure 6 depicts the PFAS Environmental Cleanup Process.

Figure 6. PFAS Environmental Cleanup Process

MCALF Bogue Private Drinking Water Well Sampling Documents

• Open House Posters

• MCALF Bogue Drinking Water Sampling Fact Sheet

• Drinking Water Sampling FAQ

• Homeowner Questionnaire

• POC Card

• Example Letter to request sampling

• Notification postcard to properties on public water

• Open House Reminder Postcard

• Example Letter to Properties with PFOA and/or PFOS Below 70 ppt

• Example Enclosure to Properties with PFOA and/or PFOS Below 70 ppt

• Enclosure - Understanding Your Sample Results

Additional Documents

• ATSDR – PFAS Overview

• ATSDR – PFAS Health Effects

• ATSDR Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Frequently Asked Questions

• ATSDR – PFAS and Breastfeeding

Links

• DoD PFAS website

• EPA PFAS website

• ATSDR PFAS website