Holman Field Army Aviation Support Facility

The Holman Field Army Aviation Support Facility is a Minnesota Army National Guard aviation installation located at the St. Paul Downtown Airport, known as Holman Field, on the east bank of the Mississippi River just across from downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. The airfield was named for Charles W. "Speed" Holman, a celebrated early aviator, and it has served the region since the early days of aviation. During World War II, the site was used for large scale aircraft work, including the modification of B-24 Liberator bombers. Today the facility supports a Minnesota Army National Guard aviation unit, which operates and maintains rotary wing aircraft alongside the airport's general aviation and corporate traffic. The site sits within an active urban and riverfront setting in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

As with many aviation installations, activities at Holman Field have raised concerns about potential exposure to certain persistent chemicals. The primary concern at this site relates to historic use of aqueous film forming foam during firefighting and training operations, a practice common at airfields where aircraft fuel fires must be controlled quickly. The Department of Defense has identified Holman Field as one of six Minnesota sites under investigation for contamination from these compounds.

1. AFFF (aqueous film forming foam): This firefighting foam was widely used at military airfields, including aviation facilities like Holman Field, to suppress fuel based fires during emergencies and training. AFFF formulations contained fluorinated compounds, and its repeated application at airfields has been associated with the release of these chemicals into soil and groundwater.
2. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): PFAS are a large class of synthetic chemicals that resist breakdown in the environment, which is why they are sometimes called "forever chemicals." At Holman Field, PFAS are linked to the historic use of firefighting foam. These substances have been associated in some studies with a range of health concerns, and ongoing investigation reflects efforts to understand potential exposure.
3. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate): PFOS is one specific PFAS compound that was a common ingredient in older AFFF formulations. Because it persists in water and can accumulate over time, it is among the substances of interest in the site investigation, and exposure has been the subject of continued health research.
4. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid): PFOA is another individual PFAS compound associated with firefighting foam and other industrial uses. Like related substances, it does not readily degrade and has prompted concerns about potential long term exposure through groundwater near installations where AFFF was used.

This installation is not listed on the National Priorities List as a federal Superfund site. Instead, it falls under the Department of Defense's broader investigation of PFAS at military and National Guard locations, carried out in coordination with state agencies. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has been involved in monitoring PFAS across the state's investigation sites. Holman Field sits in an area where private wells are unlikely to be used for drinking water, and reporting on the statewide effort indicates that filtration or bottled water has been provided to residents near other Minnesota sites, such as Duluth and Camp Ripley, where testing of nearby wells showed levels above state standards. The Holman Field site remains in an investigative and assessment phase rather than a completed cleanup.

Veterans, Guard members, and others who served or worked at Holman Field may wish to stay informed as the investigation continues and new findings become available. Those with questions about possible exposure or related health matters are encouraged to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which can provide current guidance on benefits, screening, and care.