Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.
Summer Cox, CoxS12@Michigan.gov or 517-275-2805
Alpena CRTC is an active Michigan Air National Guard (ANG) training facility located seven miles west of the city of Alpena. It is one of four combat readiness training centers in the United States ANG. Alpena CRTC has the largest training airspace in the eastern United States, along with approximately 147,000 acres of ground maneuver training area. Activities at the training base include vehicle maintenance, air gunnery ranges, airfield training, and fire training. Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) was routinely used by the ANG for fire-training, fire response, and other activities during the 1970s and 1980s.
Under the Comprehensive, Environmental Restoration, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the ANG is responsible for investigating and if needed, cleaning up any environmental contamination caused by the ANG while operating Alpena CRTC. As part of the United States Air Force (USAF) comprehensive approach to protect human health, several areas of the base were tested for PFAS because of the known and suspected past use of AFFF.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) learned about this site when the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) notified EGLE on October 2, 2017, that groundwater samples collected on-base on May 16, 2017 showed PFAS levels above the previous Lifetime Health Advisory level (LHA) of 70 ppt. This prompted EGLE to sample private drinking water wells in a mile radius around the facility. There is a groundwater divide on the base, meaning groundwater flows in different directions: northeast towards Lake Winyah, west-northwest towards the Thunder Bay River, and towards a central sinkhole feature
Content updated February 2026.
Precautionary drinking water sampling was offered by EGLE within a one-mile of Alpena CRTC in 2017 upon initial discovery of PFAS contamination at Alpena CRTC. Based on the current understanding of groundwater flow direction and extent of contamination, no further drinking water sampling is expected by EGLE, and efforts will be focused on a long-term solution for the three residences with exceedances.
DHHS will continue offering drinking water well sampling to residents within the Alpena CRTC sample area whose wells were previously tested for PFAS or who were offered drinking water filters, or both. There is no charge for the testing. DHHS will contact residents by letter and by phone to schedule sample appointments. Seasonal residents who are away for the winter can schedule an appointment at a later date. The goal of the repeat testing is to:
DHHS will be sampling drinking water wells in coordination with EGLE Gaylord District Office and District Health Department #4. Residents who have questions about this PFAS testing effort or who would like to schedule an appointment can call the DHHS Environmental Health Hotline at 800-648-6942.
Type of Sample |
Date Sampled |
Number of Sample Results Received |
Number of Samples Above Criteria** |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Drinking Water |
Through April 22, 2025 |
137 |
3 |
|
Surface Water |
Through June 2022 |
33 |
3 |
* EGLE and MDHHS results only. The ANG has not conducted private drinking water well sampling based on the current understanding of the extent of contamination.
** Residential well results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Drinking Water Cleanup Criteria for 7 PFAS compounds: PFOS (16 ppt), PFOA (8 ppt), PFNA (6 ppt), PFHxS (51 ppt), PFHxA (400,000 ppt), PFBS (420 ppt), and HFPO-DA (370 ppt).
**Surface Water results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Surface Water Cleanup Criteria for PFOS (12 ppt).
EGLE will continue to review incoming data, ANG reports, and ANG workplans in a timely manner to facilitate ongoing work being completed by the Army National Guard. Phase 2 RI fieldwork by the ANG is expected in 2026 and 2027.
Under CERCLA, the ANG completed the PFAS Preliminary Assessment in 2015 and the Site Inspection in 2018. Fieldwork for Phase 1 of the Remedial Investigation (RI) took place from 2023 – 2024. 18 areas were identified and investigated by the ANG in the RI. The Phase 1 RI Report was reviewed by EGLE in late 2025, and the ANG is expected to publish the final report in spring 2026.
The ANG maintains an online Administrative Record for this site, and it is accessible at the AFCEC Administrative Record site. To view Alpena CRTC documents, first click “Continue to Site” on the initial screen, that will launch the record search. On the record search page, select the “Air National Guard” option, located in the upper left corner of the site. Scroll down the installation list and select “Alpena County Regional APT, MI”. Press the large blue “Search” button at the bottom of the screen. This will pull up a search of all documents related to Alpena CRTC.
An Information Repository is also maintained by the ANG and it is located at the Alpena County George N Fletcher Public Library.
There is not currently a community Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) for Alpena CRTC. The 2025 memo regarding the decision not to establish a RAB is posted on the Administrative Record.
This table was updated to include all seven PFAS criteria effective 12/21/2020
|
Type of Sample |
Date Sampled |
Number of Sample |
Number of Samples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Drinking Water |
Through December 6, 2021 |
127 | 1 |
| Surface Water | Through June 2022 | 33 | 3 |
*Residential well results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Drinking Water Cleanup Criteria for 7 PFAS compounds: PFOS (16 ppt), PFOA (8 ppt), PFNA (6 ppt), PFHxS (51 ppt), PFHxA (400,000 ppt), PFBS (420 ppt), and HFPO-DA (370 ppt).
**Surface Water results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Surface Water Cleanup Criteria for PFOS (12 ppt).
