Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field Atlantic

Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field (MCOLF) Atlantic is a Marine Corps airfield in the community of Atlantic, in Carteret County, North Carolina. The field has been in operation since December 4, 1942, when it was established during World War II, and it remains an active outlying landing field supporting Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point. Today it supports periodic training operations for Cherry Point, including helicopter and ground unit exercises, rather than permanent housing. Like many long-running military airfields, it has a history of aviation activity that may have included aircraft fueling and emergency response readiness.

As part of a broader Department of Defense effort to evaluate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances at current and former military sites, MCOLF Atlantic was examined after PFAS were detected in nearby private drinking water wells. The Navy and Marine Corps have stated there is no historical documentation that aqueous film forming foam was used, stored, or disposed of at the field, and sampling was conducted as a precaution given the foam's potential historical use at aviation facilities.

1. AFFF (aqueous film forming foam): AFFF is a firefighting foam historically used by the military to suppress fuel fires, including at aviation facilities. The Navy and Marine Corps have said there is no record that AFFF was used at MCOLF Atlantic, but they have considered it a possible source of PFAS detected nearby out of an abundance of caution. AFFF formulations have been associated with the release of long-lasting fluorinated compounds into soil and water.
2. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): PFAS are a large family of synthetic chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. PFAS were detected in a small number of private wells near MCOLF Atlantic, though the suspected source has not been confirmed. PFAS are highly persistent in the environment, and concerns about potential exposure through drinking water have prompted ongoing assessment.
3. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate): PFOS is a specific PFAS compound that was a common ingredient in older AFFF formulations. It is among the substances measured in the well sampling near the airfield. PFOS has been associated in some studies with a range of potential health effects, and federal agencies have set advisory levels for it in drinking water.
4. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid): PFOA is another individual PFAS compound linked to AFFF and other industrial uses. Like PFOS, it is among the chemicals measured in connection with the well sampling, and concerns about potential long-term exposure have contributed to the decision to test nearby water supplies.

MCOLF Atlantic is not listed on the National Priorities List (Superfund). The investigation is being carried out by the Navy and Marine Corps under the Department of Defense environmental restoration process. Sampling of private drinking water wells in the surrounding community began in November 2017, and reporting indicated that of 258 samples collected through the following March, two wells exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lifetime health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion for combined PFOS and PFOA. Testing on the airfield property itself had not detected PFAS in its soil or groundwater at that stage, and the Navy and Marine Corps stated they would continue investigating potential on-base sources and any connection to off-base detections.

Veterans, family members, and others who spent time at MCOLF Atlantic and who have questions about possible exposure may wish to follow updates from the Navy and Marine Corps environmental program and to discuss any health concerns with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA can provide information on benefits, screenings, and registries relevant to those who served where contaminants have been studied.