US ARMY Yakima Training Center
Why This Site Matters
Información en Español
Past military and maintenance activities resulted in multiple releases to soil and groundwater. These chemical and toxic waste products include:
- Petroleum-based fuels (gasoline, diesel, and Jet-A).
Solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). - Lead-acid batteries from vehicles.
- Ordnance, explosives, and other pyrotechnics, including unused or outdated ammunition and weapons.
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in fire-fighting foams.
A 1995 Facility Assessment report identified 115 known or potentially polluted areas within the YTC. Most of these contaminated areas are near the southwest border of the base, near East Selah. By 2013, all the areas had been investigated and over 80 percent had been cleaned up with Ecology oversight. However, there are still more areas to clean up at YTC. These areas do not meet soil or groundwater cleanup standards or have yet to be properly investigated.
From 2018 to 2019, regional Army staff and Ecology spent 18 months negotiating a site cleanup order, before PFAS were included as contaminants. PFAS are known as “emerging” contaminants. We’re learning more about this class of harmful chemicals. The cleanup order, Agreed Order #DE 18125, was available for public comment between August and October of 2020, but it wasn’t finalized because the Army refused to sign that order.
Beginning in 2020, the Army began testing drinking water wells on and around the YTC for PFAS. On-base use of firefighting foams that contain PFAS has contaminated groundwater, including off-base drinking water wells west of the YTC.
Currently, the Army is conducting investigations and drinking water mitigation efforts without public review or Ecology oversight. The Enforcement Order and Corrective Action Permit will ensure that the public and Ecology have opportunities to review and comment on the Army’s investigation and cleanup activities.
The Statement of Basis written by Ecology provides technical details about the site contamination.
What Are Perfluoroalkyl Substances?
In 2021, the Army began contacting property owners to the west of the YTC to request permission to test the quality of drinking water in wells. The wells may have been contaminated with toxic perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to on-base Army operations.
PFAS, a known human health hazard, are used in aqueous film forming foam, a critical firefighting agent used to quickly suppress petroleum fires at airports and military installations and have been used at the YTC.
Two rounds of well testing have now been completed. In the second sampling effort, the Army identified 184 well owners/residents that could be potentially impacted and made a significant effort to contact all 184 via mail, phone, and door-to-door attempts. Of the 184, only 133 residents served by 86 wells responded and provided permission to conduct well testing. Fifty-one residents did not respond or provide permission; however, if in the future those well owners/residents request testing, the Army will do so.
Combined with the first round of testing conducted in October 2021, the Army has completed PFAS testing on 108 private water wells and identified that 38 water wells had PFAS detection levels greater than the Federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lifetime Health Advisory (LHA) of 70 parts per trillion (ppt), impacting 56 total residences. More analysis of the new data is needed, and the Army will determine if a third sampling “step-out” event is needed or required in 2022.
All impacted residents were provided the option of receiving replacement bottled water for drinking and cooking. Water delivery will continue until a permanent safe water supply solution is identified and implemented.
Ecology understands that the discovery of PFAS at the YTC may be concerning to residents living nearby. While Ecology has collaborated with the Army for the past several years to create an official site cleanup order, the Army has opted in this case to proceed without Ecology’s participation or oversight. Ecology will be closely monitoring the Army’s activities to ensure the investigation and cleanup efforts protect both the environment and human health.
Ecology will continue to communicate with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense about a path forward for investigation and cleanup.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is PFAS?
A: PFAS are a group of industrial chemicals used in fire suppression foam used by fire departments on oil, gasoline, and diesel fires. Locations where firefighters practiced using fire suppression foam (such as airports) may have impacted soil and groundwater.
PFAS are water soluble and highly mobile, meaning they can easily contaminate groundwater and can be hard to filter out. PFAS are also used in furniture, carpet, clothing, electronics, and building insulation. While people don’t eat these products, we breathe in tiny bits of them that have entered the air. PFAS are found in the blood or urine of over 90 percent of Americans.
Q: Why do we care about PFAS?
A: Certain PFAS can transform into highly persistent perfluorinated chemicals that no natural processes can break down. Once in the environment, PFAS can contaminate water and wildlife. The drinking water supplies in Airway Heights, North Whidbey Island, Issaquah, and at Joint Base Lewis-McChord are contaminated with PFAS above the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) health advisory level. They are also costly to filter out.
Q: Why didn’t the Army or the regulatory/cleanup process find this concern sooner?
A: PFAS are known as “emerging” contaminants. In other words, we’re just now learning more about this class of chemicals and setting health limits for them.
In 2019, The Department of Defense initiated preliminary assessments for PFAS at military bases across the country. At YTC, several drinking water wells were tested for PFAS chemicals at that time. PFAS was not detected in the drinking water supply wells.
In 2020, the Army conducted a more detailed follow up called a “site investigation”. In addition to drinking water supply wells, many groundwater monitoring wells were also sampled. In May of 2021, the Army notified Ecology that PFAS were found above health advisory limits in some of the groundwater monitoring wells and one drinking water supply well at the Selah Airstrip. The Army has since closed the Selah Airstrip well.
Q: How can I protect my family or business from PFAS?
A: Ecology recently published a document: Keeping Your Home and Family Healthy: Reduce Your Exposure to PFAS
Q: Who should I contact at the Army for more details?
A: Mark Mettler; phone: 253-966-8004; email: mark.a.mettler2.civ@army.mil
What Happens Next?
If no significant changes are made, Ecology will finalize the documents.
Documentos Están Listos Para La Revisión Y Comentario Público
Orden Ejecutoria (EO, por sus siglas en inglés): El EO requiere que el Ejército investigue y limpie completamente las áreas contaminadas en el sitio para satisfacer ambas las leyes estatales y federales. Se asegura de que el público y Ecología tengan oportunidades de revisar y comentar acerca de la investigación del Ejército y sus actividades de limpieza. Como parte del EO, el Ejército escribirá los siguientes reportes:
Una Investigación Correctiva y Estudio de Viabilidad describiendo la extensión de la contaminación y comparando las opciones de limpieza.
Un borrador de un Plan de Acción de Limpieza que describe las acciones de limpieza, incluyendo un calendario, el cual aborda la contaminación en el sitio
Permiso para la Acción Correctiva: El permiso para la acción correctiva provee supervisión y un marco reglamentario acerca de las actividades relacionadas a desechos peligrosos, incluyendo la limpieza.
Plan de Participación para el Público: El plan de participación para el público describe cómo le informaremos a la comunidad acerca de actividades en el sitio y sobre oportunidades de cómo involucrarse en el proceso.
Antecedentes Del Sitio
YTC es utilizada por soldados visitantes ejecutando maniobras y entrenamiento de armas. Se han estado entrenando soldados en YTC desde el 1941. El centro tiene inquilinos militares y del gobierno federal, incluyendo a los centros del Washington State Army National Guard and Marine y el Army Reserve. No hay residentes ni trabajadores viviendo en las inmediaciones del sitio. El Ejército es dueño y ha operado a YTC como una instalación para el manejo de desechos peligrosos desde el 1980 y la cual trata, almacena, dispone de, o recicla desechos peligrosos o aceite usado.
Contaminación
• Combustibles en base de petróleo (gasolina, diésel, y Jet-A).
• Solventes como el tricloroetileno (TCE; por sus siglas en inglés) y ketona de metil etílico (MEK; por sus siglas en inglés).
• Baterías de vehículos de ácido de plomo.
• Artillería, explosivos, y otros pirotécnicos incluyendo munición anticuada o sin usar y armas.
• Sustancias de per- y polifluoroalquilos (PFAS; por sus siglas en inglés) usadas en espumas para el control de fuego.
Un reporte de evaluación de instalación del 1995 identificó 115 áreas contaminadas conocidas o potencialmente contaminadas dentro de YTC. La mayoría de estas áreas contaminadas están cerca del borde suroeste de la base, cerca de East Selah. Para el 2013, todas estas áreas habían sido investigadas y sobre el 80 por ciento habían sido
limpiadas con supervisión de Ecología. Sin embargo, todavía hay muchas áreas por limpiarse en YTC. Estas áreas no satisfacen los niveles de limpieza para el suelo y el agua subterránea o no han sido propiamente investigadas todavía.
Del 2018 al 2019, personal regional del Ejército y Ecología pasaron 18 meses negociando una orden de limpieza para el sitio, antes de que los PFAS fueran incluidos como contaminantes. A los PFAS se los conoce como contaminantes “emergentes.” Estamos aprendiendo más acerca de esta clase de sustancias químicas nocivas. La orden de limpieza, Orden Acordada #DE 18125, estuvo disponible para comentario público entre agosto y octubre del 2020, pero no fue finalizada porque el Ejército se rehusó a firmar esa orden.
A principios del 2020, el Ejército comenzó a hacer pruebas para PFAS en pozos de agua potable dentro y alrededor de YTC. El uso de espumas contra incendios que contienen PFAS en la base ha contaminado el agua subterránea; incluyendo pozos de agua potable fuera de la base y al oeste de YTC. Actualmente, el Ejército está conduciendo investigaciones y esfuerzos de mitigación de contaminación en el agua potable sin revisión del público o la supervisión de Ecología.
Próximos Pasos
El Proceso De Limpieza
peligrosos (vea la Figura 1). La limpieza protege la salud humana y el ambiente de los desechos peligrosos y las sustancias químicas. Actualmente estamos en la etapa de investigación inicial de este proceso.
¿Que Son Los Pfas?
¿Qué Es Una Orden Ejecutoria?
Documents 47
Legal 8
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Exhibit E - Groundwater Monitoring Plan for the Gire Training Pit and Tracked Vehicle Repair/Old Mobilization and Training Equipment Site | 2/1/2023 | Enforcement Order |
Exhibit D - Land Use Control Plan | 2/1/2023 | Enforcement Order |
Exhibit C - Scope of Work and Schedule | 2/1/2023 | Enforcement Order |
Exhibit B - Excerpts from Final RCRA Facility Assessment Report U.S. Army Yakima Training Center, September 1995 | 2/1/2023 | Enforcement Order |
Exhibit A - Facility Diagram | 2/1/2023 | Enforcement Order |
YTC Corrective Action Permit (Permit Lite) | 2/1/2023 | Enforcement Order |
Enforcement Order for the Yakima Training Center | 2/1/2023 | Enforcement Order |
US Army Yakima Training Center RCRA Agreed Order DRAFT | 5/13/2020 | Agreed Order |
Map 1
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Yakima Training Center PFAS Test Results (off-base) 2021-2022 | 4/6/2023 | Map |
Public Information 6
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Public Notice - US Army Yakima Training Center (Enforcement Order, Permit Lite, Public Participation Plan) | 2/6/2023 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
Statement of Basis - US Army Yakima Training Center | 2/6/2023 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
Ecology’s Response to Yakima Nation Comments on Draft Agreed Order DE 18125 | 12/16/2020 | Responsiveness Summary |
Ecology’s Response to Army’s comments on Draft Agreed Order DE 18125 | 12/16/2020 | Responsiveness Summary |
U.S. Army Yakima Training Center Public Notice 2020 | 7/30/2020 | Fact Sheet\Public Notices |
U.S. Army Yakima Training Center 2020 Public Participation Plan | 7/30/2020 | Public Participation Plan |
Technical Reports 32
Places to see print documents
-
Yakima Central Library102 N 3rd StYakima, 98901This location may only have print documents available during open comment periods.
Contaminants 15
Contaminant Type | Soil |
Groundwater |
Surface Water |
Air |
Sediment |
Bedrock |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Other Contaminant - Base/Neutral/Acid Organics | S | |||||
Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Organics | S | C | S | |||
Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants | S | C | S | |||
Metals - Metals - Other | S | S | S | |||
Halogenated Organics - Polychlorinated biPhenyls (PCB) | S | |||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum Products-Unspecified | C | S | S | |||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Non-Halogenated Solvents | S | S | S | |||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons | S | |||||
Reactive Wastes - Corrosive Wastes | S | |||||
Other Contaminant - Conventional Contaminants, Organic | S | S | ||||
Other Contaminant - Conventional Contaminants, Inorganic | S | |||||
Other Contaminant - Asbestos | S | S | ||||
Reactive Wastes - Other Reactive Wastes | C | S | S | |||
Pesticides - Pesticides-Unspecified | S | |||||
Halogenated Organics - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) | S |
- S
- Suspected
- C
- Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
- B
- Below Cleanup Levels
- RA
- Remediated-Above
- RB
- Remediated-Below
- R
- Remediated