Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg

Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg is a U.S. Navy supply and logistics installation in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, roughly seven miles west of Harrisburg. The base was commissioned on October 1, 1942, established during World War II to provide inland supply relief for crowded coastal Navy facilities. Over the following decades it grew into a major distribution center, hosting the Ship's Parts Control Center (later the Navy Ships Parts Control Center and then the Naval Inventory Control Point), and in 1996 it became home to the headquarters of the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP). Today the installation spans roughly 800 acres with more than 150 warehouses and serves as a central hub for Navy supply operations.

Decades of supply, storage, maintenance, and waste disposal activity at the installation left behind contamination in soil, sediment, and groundwater. Investigations by the Navy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have documented a range of chemicals across multiple areas of the base. The substances below have been associated with the site and have raised concerns about potential exposure for people who lived or worked there.

1. Solvents are degreasing and cleaning chemicals used in maintenance, parts handling, and equipment upkeep at the installation. Spills and disposal of spent solvents have been linked to soil and groundwater contamination at the base, and exposure to certain industrial solvents has been associated with a range of health concerns.
2. TCE (trichloroethylene) is a chlorinated solvent commonly used to degrease metal parts and equipment, consistent with the work carried out at Mechanicsburg. Records describe trichloroethene among the materials handled in a solvent disposal area at the base, and TCE has been a focus of investigation and cleanup. Exposure to TCE has been associated with concerns about kidney effects and certain cancers.
3. Heavy metals, including arsenic, nickel, and manganese among others, were identified in soil and groundwater, reflecting the base's history of storing metal ores and handling industrial materials. Long-term exposure to certain heavy metals has been associated with various health concerns depending on the metal and the level of exposure.
4. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are man-made chemicals once used in electrical equipment, lubricants, and other industrial applications. PCBs were among the compounds detected at the site, and exposure to PCBs has been associated with concerns about a number of long-term health effects.
5. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are persistent man-made chemicals. A Navy preliminary assessment identified multiple areas on the installation where PFAS had been used, largely through AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) used in firefighting and fire training. Pennsylvania environmental officials have included Mechanicsburg among military sites associated with PFAS, and exposure to these compounds has been associated with concerns about potential effects on health.

The site, identified in federal records as the Navy Ships Parts Control Center, was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (the Superfund list) in May 1994. The Navy leads the cleanup under federal environmental law, and a Federal Facilities Agreement among the Navy, EPA, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was signed in 2004 to set the framework and schedule for investigation and remediation. Cleanup work has included pumping and treating contaminated groundwater, excavating contaminated soil, and addressing waste disposal areas across the installation's operable units, with periodic five-year reviews tracking progress.

Veterans, civilian employees, and family members who spent time at Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg may wish to stay informed about the ongoing environmental work at the installation. Anyone with questions about possible exposure and their health is encouraged to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or a personal healthcare provider, who can offer guidance based on individual circumstances.