Water and Sediment Sampling Ongoing at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD), is conducting water and sediment sampling near the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in the south branch of Thunder Bay River and Lake Winyah for per-and-polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) compounds. 

"The overall objective of this work is to investigate if PFAS has potentially migrated or is migrating outside the boundaries of the Alpena CRTC and impacting surface water," said Christiaan Bon, a senior geologist with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. "Some of the specific objectives of this work are to obtain information regarding potential concentrations of PFAS in the Thunder Bay River and Lake Winyah and to investigate the presence or absence of PFAS in sediments adjacent to surface water discharge from the airfield." 

EGLE's sampling team will collect two rounds of water and sediment samples from the areas surrounding the Alpena CRTC to obtain information regarding potential seasonal variations of contaminant levels. The first sampling event was the week of August 30 - September 3, 2021. The second event is anticipated to be in April or May of 2022 during spring runoff. The information obtained through sampling will supplement data collected on base by the Alpena CRTC during the 2018 Site Inspection and upcoming Remedial Investigation. 

In late August, Mr. Bon from EGLE and their sampling team visited with Alpena CRTC senior leadership to present the sampling plan. They also visited Alpena's five areas of concern for PFOS and PFOA that are being addressed through the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act process. The sampling by EGLE is outside of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act process and allows additional data to be collected. 

"The men and women of the CRTC are working closely with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) as they investigate areas surrounding the base to determine if there is any impact of PFAS," said U.S. Air Force Col. James Rossi, commander, Alpena CRTC. "We're actively involved with the team so we can continue to move forward in this extremely important process." 

All data will be available to the public on the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team website at www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse.