Homestead Air Reserve Base

Homestead Air Reserve Base is an Air Force Reserve installation in Miami-Dade County, Florida, roughly 25 miles southwest of Miami. The site opened in 1942 as Homestead Army Airfield, was turned over to civilian use after World War II, and reopened in 1953 as Homestead Air Force Base. Hurricane Andrew caused severe damage in 1992, and the installation reopened in 1994 as an Air Force Reserve facility. Today it is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing and serves as a headquarters location for the Tenth Air Force. Decades of flight operations, fire training, fuel handling, and waste disposal across the base have left a record of environmental contamination that is the subject of ongoing study and cleanup.

Environmental investigations at Homestead have identified contamination in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment across dozens of operable units. The contaminants of concern reflect the base's long history of aircraft maintenance, fueling, fire suppression training, and historic disposal practices, including operations that predate Air Force ownership. The substances below have been documented in connection with the installation.

1. Jet fuel and petroleum hydrocarbons. Aircraft fueling, storage, and spills released jet fuel and related petroleum compounds into base soil and groundwater. Long-term exposure to certain petroleum constituents has been associated with a range of health concerns, prompting attention to former fuel handling and storage areas.
2. Trichloroethylene (TCE). This solvent was widely used to degrease aircraft parts, engines, and metal components. TCE has been detected in groundwater at the base, and exposure to this volatile organic compound has been associated with concerns about potential effects on the liver, kidneys, and immune system.
3. PFAS, including PFOS and PFOA. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances were components of firefighting foam used in training and emergency response. PFAS compounds such as PFOS and PFOA, often introduced through AFFF foam, are persistent in the environment, and testing has reported low levels in wells associated with the base, making them a focus of ongoing attention.
4. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs were released at the base, including a documented spill from an electrical transformer. These persistent compounds have been associated with concerns about potential long-term health effects.
5. Heavy metals. Arsenic, chromium, lead, cadmium, and mercury have been detected in base media, linked in part to historic electroplating operations conducted during the period of Dade County ownership, when plating wastes were reportedly disposed directly on the ground. Long-term exposure to these metals has been associated with a variety of health concerns.
6. Chlordane and DDT. These pesticides were associated with a residual pesticide disposal area on the base. Exposure to such legacy pesticides has been associated with concerns about potential health effects and remains part of the site investigation.

Homestead Air Force Base was added to the National Priorities List on August 30, 1990, designating it a federal Superfund site. The Air Force, working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under a Federal Facilities Agreement, has carried out cleanup actions across the base's operable units, with periodic five-year reviews evaluating whether remedies remain protective. Cleanup and monitoring at the installation are ongoing.

Veterans, family members, and others who lived or worked at Homestead Air Reserve Base and have questions about possible exposure may wish to stay informed as new environmental and health information becomes available. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is a useful starting point for understanding available benefits, registries, and screening programs, and individuals with specific health concerns are encouraged to discuss their service history with a qualified medical provider.