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Escanaba Defense Fuel Supply Point (Escanaba, Delta County)

Escanaba Defense Fuel Supply Point (Escanaba, Delta County)

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Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.

EGLE site lead

Kenneth Heitkamp, HeitkampK@Michigan.gov or 517-930-5218.

Background

This site is located on the Little Bay de Noc shoreline and was a bulk fuel storage facility that supplied jet fuel to the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Gwinn via pipeline.  In 1970, the United States Air Force (USAF) began using Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) firefighting agents containing PFOS and PFOA to extinguish petroleum fires. Releases of AFFF to the environment may have occurred during routine fire training, equipment maintenance, storage, and use. From the early 1970s until 2002, the DoD purchased and used AFFF containing PFAS for firefighting and firefighting training exercises. The PFAS contamination at the site first came to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)’s attention in April 2014. The USAF identified PFAS as a contaminant and completed a Preliminary Assessment, beginning the CERCLA process, in 2015. The USAF found 3 areas containing PFAS in the Site Inspection and report, which was completed in June 2018. The investigation and analysis of these PFAS sites by the Air Force began in 2022, is ongoing and will continue into the foreseeable future.

Content posted February 2026

MAP Escanaba

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

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Drinking water

MDHHS is offering drinking water well retesting to residents near K.I. Sawyer AFB whose wells were previously tested for PFAS or who were offered drinking water filters, or both. There is no charge for the testing. MDHHS has contacted these residents by letter and by phone to schedule water collection appointments. Seasonal residents who are away for the winter can schedule an appointment later. The goal of the repeat testing is to determine if PFAS is in residential wells; if so, the amount of PFAS; and whether the amount is increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same over time. MDHHS will be regularly retesting these drinking water wells in coordination and District Health Department.  Residents who have questions about this PFAS testing effort or who would like to schedule an appointment can call the MDHHS Environmental Health Hotline at 800-648-6942.

Anticipated activities

The Draft Remedial Investigation Report is written and currently being reviewed by the Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC).  EGLE will evaluate the Remedial Investigation (RI) field work and data, when the Draft RI Report is received to verify that new (2025) DoD Screening Levels for PFAS did not change the results of delineating PFAS in each media.  The sampling events took place prior to the screening level change.

After completion of the RI report and human health and ecological risk assessments, AFCEC will follow the CERCLA process to complete the Feasibility Study and choose remedial actions.

The Air Force hosts monthly virtual Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Team (BCT) meetings with EGLE and MDHHS.

Related correspondence

Historical Timeline

    • In April 2014, the Escanaba DFSP site first came to the attention of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) when the USAF’s contractor met with EGLE to conduct a record search to begin the USAF’s investigation into the base.
    • Between 2015 and 2016, EGLE approved work plans for site assessment activities, coordinated local communications, and reviewed the completed site assessment. 
    • In 2015 soil and groundwater samples were collected.  From 2015 to 2016, seven residential wells were sampled. 
    • All seven residential wells were non-detect.
    • Surface water and sediment samples were collected in 2017. Surface water sample results were above water quality standards for PFOS and the LHA for drinking water for combined PFOS and PFOA.
    • According to a December 2, 2017 article in the Escanaba Daily Press, the Hannahville Native American Nation purchased the property and is considering redevelopment of the property.  The Hannahville Native American Nation is aware of the PFAS contamination at the site according to EGLE Remediation and Redevelopment Division district staff. 
    • Dave Anthony is the Governmental Affairs Representative for the Hannahville Native American Nation.
    • On February 14, 2019, a Base Closure Team Meeting was held between EGLE and the USAF.
    • On April 11, 2019, there was a Base Closure Team Meeting held between EGLE and Air Force.
    • EGLE has received the Air Force’s May 17, 2019, Draft Final, Second Five-Year Review Report. The Air Force has again stated that they will not consider Michigan criteria for PFOA and PFOS. as part of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Five-Year Review process protectiveness analysis.
    • On July 9, 2019, there was a Base Closure Team Meeting held between EGLE and the Air Force.
    • On September 6, 2019, EGLE sent the Air Force a letter regarding the five-year review required by CERCLA and the fact that the Air Force did not consider PFAS contamination in the review. The Air Force responded on October 9, 2019 stating that in the five-year review they would not take into consideration whether the current remedy was protective of human health. 
    • In an October 9, 2019 letter, the Air Force informed EGLE that they would not evaluate the protectiveness of the current remedy for PFAS contamination in the five-year review they just completed despite exceedances of Michigan health-based Part 201 criteria for both PFOS and PFOA.  Because there are exceedances of PFOS GSI criteria in groundwater and Ambient Water Quality Standards in surface water, human exposure to high level PFAS contamination is possible through fish consumption, as the area is heavily fished. DHHS and EGLE are working out logistics for fish sampling.
    • On October 17, 2019, a joint site inspection was held by the Air Force and EGLE staff to ensure deed restrictions on the site were being followed.
    • On October 17, 2019, a land use control inspection was completed to ensure deed restrictions on the site were being followed.  There was a discussion of the fact that citizens were fishing the PFAS impacted surface water just off the site and off the pier at the site. There is concern that fishing is a possible route of human exposure to PFAS from the site.  Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and EGLE are working out logistics for fish sampling.
    • On May 14, 2020, the Air Force issued a Final Five-Year Review Report that does not appropriately address the comments provided by EGLE on the draft Report.  The Air Force failed to account for the potential risks to human health, welfare and the environment associated with PFAS contamination released into the groundwater and the surface water.
    • On July 7, 2020, EGLE sent notice to the Air Force that the Final Second Five-Year Review was not done correctly and that the remedy at the site was not protective of human health and the environment.

    • Type of Sample

      Date Sampled

      # of Samples

      # of Results Received

      # of Non-detects

      # Between Non-detect and standard*

      #>Standard
      Drinking Water (Residential) Jul 19, 2018 -
      Jul 19, 2018      		 7 7 7 0 0

      Groundwater

      		 Jul 19, 2018 -
      Jul 19, 2018      		 6 6 0 0 6
      Surface Water Jul 19, 2018 -
      Jul 19, 2018      		 5 5 0 0 5
      Cumulative 18 18 7 0 11

      *Residential well results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Criteria of 70 ppt and the EPA Lifetime Advisory Level of 70 ppt.
      *Groundwater results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Criteria of 70 ppt.
      *Surface water results are compared to Rule 57 surface water quality values of 12 ppt for PFOS and 12,000 ppt for PFOA. 

       
    • On September 4, 2020, the Air Force reissued the Final Second Five-Year Review Report that addressed most of EGLE’S concerns with the original Final Second Five-Year Review Report.
    • On September 15, 2020, EGLE replied to the Air Force regarding the reissued Final Second Five-Year Review Report stating that EGLE could not concur with the conclusion of the report which stated that the current remedy was protective of human health in the short term. The Air Force did not address the potential for human health risks potentially associated with consumption of fish in Little Bay de Noc contaminated with PFOS from the site.
    • In the summer of 2020, EGLE and MDHHS performed fish tissue sampling in Little Bay de Noc offshore of the site, to determine if there is impact to the fish population in the area by PFAS.
    • In 2021, Air Force hosted a monthly Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Team (BCT) meeting with EGLE via teleconference.
    • In 2022, Air Force hosted a monthly Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Team (BCT) meeting with EGLE via teleconference.
    • RI field work began in 2022, starting the investigation of PFAS in groundwater, soil, sediment and surface water.
    • In 2023, Air Force hosted a monthly Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Team (BCT) meeting with EGLE via teleconference. 
    • On February 1, 2023, AFCEC submitted the Final 2021 Land Use Controls Inspection Report Escanaba.
    • On April 1, 2023, AFCEC submitted the Final Quality Program Plan for Remedial Investigation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances at Former Defense Fuel Supply Point Escanaba.
    • In July – September 2023, AFCEC collected samples from residential drinking water wells at 24 locations. No detections of PFAS were found in 20 residences, and below DoD action level samples at the remaining 4 residences.
    • From January 30 – February 1, 2024, a Technical Meeting with AFCEC was held to discuss PFAS sampling in sediment, surface water, groundwater and soil, as well as ecological and human health risk assessments.
    • In 2024, Air Force hosted a monthly Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Team (BCT) meeting with EGLE and MDHHS via teleconference.
    • On June 1, 2024, AFCEC submitted the Final 2022 and 2023 Land Use Controls Inspection Reports Escanaba.
    • In August 2024, MDHHS resampled 12 residential drinking water wells where 1 resident exceeded comparison values.
    • On September 30, 2024, AFCEC submitted Final Addendum 01 to the Final Quality Program Plan for Remedial Investigation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances at Former Defense Fuel Supply Point, Escanaba.
    • In 2025, Air Force hosted a monthly Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Team (BCT) meeting with EGLE and MDHHS via teleconference.
    • On April 1, 2025, AFCEC submitted the Final 2024 Land Use Controls Inspection Report Escanaba.
    • In October 2025, field activities were completed by conducting a site-wide groundwater sampling event.
    • In October 2025, MDHHS resampled various residential drinking water wells and the data and recommendations are pending.