Editing Eielson Air Force Base (section)

==Environmental problems==
Eielson Air Force Base was proposed to be a [[Superfund]] site on 14 July 1989, and was officially designated as such on 21 November 1989.<ref>[https://semspub.epa.gov/work/10/501000187.pdf NPL Site Narrative for Eielson Air Force Base] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619202155/https://semspub.epa.gov/work/10/501000187.pdf |date=19 June 2020 }} EPA, Last updated on 21 November 1989, accessed 25 August 2015</ref>

The groundwater contains lead and [[volatile organic compounds]] (VOCs) like [[benzene]], [[xylene]], and [[toluene]]. Several areas of underground petroleum-contaminated soil and floating petroleum product are the sources of continuing groundwater contamination. Ingesting or coming into direct contact with contaminated groundwater or soil can pose a potential health threat. [[Polychlorinated biphenyl]] (PCB)-contaminated fish were also found in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/nplpad.nsf/88d393e4946e3c478825631200672c95/7b3ae961ead30000852565920073a181?OpenDocument|title=EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, EPA ID# AK1570028646, Last Update: April, 2002|publisher=Yosemite.epa.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050914050855/http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/nplpad.nsf/88d393e4946e3c478825631200672c95/7b3ae961ead30000852565920073a181?OpenDocument|archive-date=14 September 2005|access-date=2013-04-29}}</ref> Construction of the superfund site was complete in 1998.<ref name="epa progress">{{cite web|url=http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=1000110|title=Superfund Site Progress Profile EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE (EPA ID: AK1570028646)|date=23 June 2009|publisher=EPA|access-date=26 August 2015|archive-date=31 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031154721/http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=1000110|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014, Eielson tested waters and soils for [[perfluorinated compounds]] around areas where [[Firefighting foam#Class B foams|aqueous film forming foam]] (AFFF) had been used for firefighting and training. In March 2015, the base changed its source of drinking water, because contamination had been found. In April 2015, wells near [[Moose Creek, Alaska]], the community to the north, were tested and found contaminated.<ref name=fnm>{{cite news|author=Sam Friedman|title=Air Force to test Moose Creek wells for groundwater contamination|url=http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/air-force-to-test-moose-creek-wells-for-groundwater-contamination/article_14352e6c-001c-11e5-99ea-aba97774135f.html|access-date=3 September 2015|work=Fairbanks News Miner (AK)|date=22 May 2015|archive-date=19 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119033852/http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/air-force-to-test-moose-creek-wells-for-groundwater-contamination/article_14352e6c-001c-11e5-99ea-aba97774135f.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2015, water from 132 Moose Creek wells, which serve more than 200 residences, was found to contain [[perfluorooctane sulfonate]] (PFOS) above the health advisory level of 0.2 micrograms per liter by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA). The highest reading in Moose Creek was 2.09 micrograms per liter, and the highest level on Eielson reached 2,000 micrograms per liter at the site of a KC-135 aircraft fire in 1989. The [[Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation v. EPA|Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation]] said "contamination stretches 6.5 miles from the south of Eielson's runway to the north of Moose Creek and is found up to 100 feet deep". {{As of |August 2015}} the extent of contamination was unknown and if there was one large plume or multiple small ones. The USAF has held meetings to discuss different solutions for providing affected homes with water.<ref name=fairbanks>{{cite news|author1=Robin Wood|title=Air Force to hold meeting about Moose Creek water contamination|url=http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/air-force-to-hold-second-meeting-about-moose-creek-water/article_2b26557e-4acc-11e5-8c41-ab701fd587c4.html|access-date=26 August 2015|work=Fairbanks News-Miner (AK)|date=24 August 2015|archive-date=27 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827025108/http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/air-force-to-hold-second-meeting-about-moose-creek-water/article_2b26557e-4acc-11e5-8c41-ab701fd587c4.html|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of| May 2016}}, between 145 and 150 homes had well water with PFOS above the EPA health advisory concentrations. With EPA's national water quality standard announced in May 2016, 15 more homes in the Moose Creek community were added.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.newsminer.com/news/more-homes-affected-by-foam-pollution-at-eielson/article_e82cc8f4-1e27-11e6-8e40-9737c05351e5.html | title=More homes affected by foam pollution at Eielson | publisher=newsminer.com | date=20 May 2016 | access-date=25 May 2016 | author=Sam Friedman | archive-date=23 May 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160523130118/http://www.newsminer.com/news/more-homes-affected-by-foam-pollution-at-eielson/article_e82cc8f4-1e27-11e6-8e40-9737c05351e5.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Work is now being done to connect the affected homes to water from the City of North Pole's public utilities.