EPA Superfund site
PLATTSBURGH AIR FORCE BASE
Exposure status: insufficient data
Data limitations: Proximity to a Superfund site boundary does not mean your property is contaminated. EPA site boundaries show the area designated for cleanup, not the full extent of contamination. Groundwater plumes can extend beyond site boundaries. This tool shows publicly available EPA federal data. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by EPA, and is not a substitute for a professional environmental assessment.
About this site's exposure pathways
As of May 2026, the Plattsburgh Air Force Base Superfund site is considered “Insufficient Data to make a Human Exposure evaluation” (HEID). This status does not necessarily mean that unacceptable exposures are occurring. EPA and USAF are evaluating per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in site‑related media and nearby water bodies. Because people may be exposed through eating locally caught fish, fish tissue sampling and other evaluations of the nature and extent of PFAS are underway. A state fish consumption advisory for Lake Champlain is in place for mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and PFAS. Current information is not sufficient to determine whether actual or reasonably anticipated human exposures are occurring above acceptable risk‑based levels across all pathways and areas.
Planned activities to collect sufficient information include completing fish tissue sampling and analysis; delineating PFAS in surface water, sediment, and, as applicable, groundwater; and preparing a Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) focused on fish consumption and other relevant exposure pathways. EPA currently anticipates there will be sufficient data to make a Human Exposure determination by September 2032 because fish tissue sampling will be completed, the HHRA will be finalized, and EPA and USAF will have the information needed to evaluate exposures and inform cleanup decisions.
If you live or recreate near the site, you can reduce your exposure by following state fish consumption advisories for Lake Champlain, practicing catch‑and‑release where advised, and heeding posted signs and local health guidance. For more information, contact the EPA Community Involvment Coordinator Larisa Romanowski via the site webpage or at (518) 407-0400 or [email protected]. . Although recent participation has been limited, the Air Force is evaluating ways to increase community involvement by restarting the Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meetings. EPA will continue to share updates with residents and stakeholders, issue public notices and fact sheets, and keep the site profile on EPA’s website up to date.