SHARPE ARMY DEPOT

As of September 2024, the Sharpe Army Depot Superfund site is considered “Current Human Exposure Not Under Control” (HENC). The remedies at the site involve several groundwater treatment systems, a soil vapor extraction system, private drinking water well treatment, and various Land Use Controls to prevent exposures to contaminated soil and groundwater primarily for Volatile Organic Compounds. However, the presence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) were detected in on-base drinking water supply and off-base private drinking water wells, and the remedies are not preventing exposure to PFAS. This exposure pathway is considered unacceptable because PFAS concentrations are above EPA risk-based criteria, including the new Federal Maximum Contaminant Levels and Regional Screening Levels (RSLs). Further, it is unknown if exposure of PFAS in soils on-base is occurring because land use controls restricting exposure to soils do not include all areas of PFAS concentrations that are present above EPA RSLs.

Currently, the planned actions to address this pathway will be based on pending guidance from the Department of Defense. The Army has initiated Remedial Investigations to define the nature and extent of PFAS in groundwater and soils and other media, include collecting additional information about the human interactions with contaminated media and evaluating human health risk with a Human Health Risk Assessment. However, the Remedial Investigation may take a couple of years to be completed. If you are impacted by risks inherent at this site, please consider reducing your exposure to potentially contaminated drinking water and soils and contact the Army point of contact listed on the EPA website (https://www.epa.gov/superfund/sharpearmy) for additional information and to determine whether you may be at risk of exposure to PFAS. The EPA currently anticipates that human exposure will be under control by September 2025, assuming the Army takes action to address this pathway.