Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base

Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base is a Pennsylvania Air National Guard installation located at Pittsburgh International Airport in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It is home to the 171st Air Refueling Wing, whose lineage traces to the 146th Fighter Squadron, federally recognized in 1949. The unit was redesignated as the 171st Air Refueling Wing in 1972, and the first KC-135 Stratotanker arrived in 1977. Today the wing provides aerial refueling for Air Force fighters, bombers, and other aircraft, and it has supported operations including Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. The base sits adjacent to the Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station within the Montour Run watershed.

As at many airfields where firefighting agents were used for decades, environmental sampling at and around the base has raised concerns about potential exposure to certain persistent chemicals. National Guard testing of 31 sites at the Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base and the adjacent reserve station, conducted between December 2017 and February 2018, found PFAS chemicals above federal thresholds at 24 of those sites, with one sample reported at 87 times the EPA limit. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection lists both installations among its PFAS sites.

1. PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals valued for resisting heat, water, and grease. At this base they are associated primarily with the historical use of firefighting foam, and they have been detected in groundwater and surface water on and near the installation. Because these compounds break down very slowly, exposure to elevated levels has been associated in some studies with a range of health concerns.
2. PFOS: PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is one of the individual PFAS compounds identified in sampling connected to the base and the surrounding Montour Run watershed. It was a common ingredient in older firefighting foam formulations. Research has examined possible associations between PFOS exposure and effects on the immune system, cholesterol, and other outcomes.
3. PFOA: PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another PFAS compound noted among the chemicals of concern in the area. Like PFOS, it appears in legacy foam products and industrial materials. Studies have looked at potential links between PFOA exposure and certain health conditions, though findings continue to be reviewed.
4. AFFF: AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is the firefighting agent that historically carried PFAS at the base. In 2013, more than 400 gallons of AFFF were reported released into a stream that feeds Montour Run. Officials have said the wing no longer uses AFFF, though stored quantities remained on the installation awaiting removal under applicable guidance. Concerns about potential exposure relate to the PFAS compounds the foam contained.

The Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base is not listed on the National Priorities List. PFAS investigation and response at the installation have proceeded under Department of Defense and Air Force processes in coordination with the National Guard Bureau, while the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection tracks the site within its statewide PFAS program. Reporting has indicated that contamination has likely extended beyond the base boundaries, and some private water wells within about a mile have been identified as facing potential risk.

Veterans, current personnel, and family members who lived or worked at the Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base and have questions about possible exposure may wish to stay informed as monitoring and cleanup efforts continue. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers guidance on environmental exposures and related health resources, and consulting the VA directly is a reasonable step for anyone with specific concerns.