Cost So Far
$10.1M
Money already spent on the evaluation and cleanup of hazardous sites.
Expected Additional Cost
$1.47M
The estimated amount of money needed for evaluation and cleanup of hazardous sites at this installation.
Completion Date
2017
The date the DOD says cleanup of all sites was completed. Long term monitoring may continue after this date.
The former Westover Air Force Base is located approximately 1 mile north and 1 mile east of the intersection of the Massachusetts Turnpike and State Highway Rte. 33.Prior to 1939, the site was reportedly farmed, principally for tobacco. Between... see more » The former Westover Air Force Base is located approximately 1 mile north and 1 mile east of the intersection of the Massachusetts Turnpike and State Highway Rte. 33.Prior to 1939, the site was reportedly farmed, principally for tobacco. Between 1939 and 1940, the majority of the land for Westover AFB was acquired by the federal government. Activation of the property as Westover AFB occurred during 1940. From 1940 to 1955, the base served as a port of embarkation and debarkation, and as headquarters of the Military Airlift Command. In 1955, it was recommissioned as a major base for the Strategic Air Command. In 1974, the active military base became an Air Force Reserve base with the 439th Tactical Airlift Wing as the major unit. A total of 2,364 acres were retained for use as a reserve base. The remaining area, approximately 221 acres, was conveyed to the General Services Administration (GSA) on July 31, 1975, and was subsequently transferred to Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation (WMDC) by deed dated April 4, 1978. WMDC was established in 1974 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to promote and manage the industrial development of the former air force base property. Since that time, additional acreage has been acquired by WMDC, and portions of the property, including the original 221 acres, have been sold to and developed by industrial users. (Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) « see less
10 Hazardous Sites
Below are the locations of hazardous sites associated with this military installation, according to the DOD. A site’s contamination may affect a much larger area, including public and private lands and the water supplies beneath them.
High Risk
Medium Risk
Low Risk
Risk Not Evaluated or Not Required
Response Complete
We haven't independently confirmed the location of every site. If you notice a site placed at the incorrect location, please contact us.
Not all sites in the DOD data include location information, so there may be sites listed below that are missing from the map. The risk level of a site refers to a relative risk assessment made by the DOD to prioritize the cleanup of sites.
2 Active Sites
Sites where military cleanup actions are still ongoing. The risk level of a site refers to a relative risk assessment made by the DOD, which prioritizes the cleanup of sites that pose greatest threat to safety, human health, and the environment.
Site ID: 15HTRW
WMDC AVIATION FUEL STORAGE FACILITY
Spill Site Area
Cost
$1.8M
Cost in 2015 plus expected future cost of cleanup
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2017
This site is under ongoing monitoring until Sep 2023
Contaminated Areas
Groundwater: Medium Risk
Leaching has occurred given the observed GW contamination. GW exposures not occuring, but are hypothetically possible.
Contaminants: Cadmium and compounds 0.7 ug/L Lead 5.0 ug/L Silver and compounds 7.3 ug/L Arsenic 7.9 ug/L Copper and compounds 12.0 ug/L Zinc 13.0 ug/L Nickel (soluble salts) 24.0 ug/L 2-Methylnaphthalene 99.0 ug/L Benzene 240.0 ug/L Naphthalene 260.0 ug/L Ethylbenzene 1200.0 ug/L Toluene 3000.0 ug/L Xylenes 3900.0 ug/L
Soil: Low Risk
Soil contamination is not spreading, but leaching has occurred to groundwater. Exposure to soil limited due to land use. Relatively high risk estimates for aliphatic and aromatic compounds may be assessed with Tier III toxicity values, but that is not represented in the RRE. Note that FUDSMIS incorrectly indicates identical CAS numbers for two different PAHs, so I had to delete one.
Contaminants: Cadmium and compounds 0.12 mg/kg Silver and compounds 0.53 mg/kg Fluorene 0.8 mg/kg Benzo[k]fluoranthene 1.0 mg/kg Anthracene 1.1 mg/kg Benzo[b]fluoranthene 1.5 mg/kg Toluene 1.6 mg/kg Benzo[a]pyrene 1.6 mg/kg Benz[a]anthracene 1.7 mg/kg Chrysene 1.8 mg/kg Lead 2.5 mg/kg Fluoranthene 2.6 mg/kg Nickel (soluble salts) 3.8 mg/kg Pyrene 4.5 mg/kg Naphthalene 5.8 mg/kg Chromium 7.7 mg/kg Ethylbenzene 8.0 mg/kg 2-Methylnaphthalene 9.5 mg/kg Copper and compounds 9.6 mg/kg Arsenic 11.0 mg/kg Zinc 20.0 mg/kg Antimony and compounds 22.0 mg/kg Selenium 25.0 mg/kg Xylenes 33.8 mg/kg
Site ID: 00HTRW
LONGZAK DRIVE
Contaminated Ground Water
Cost
$953K
Cost in 2015 plus expected future cost of cleanup
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2008
This site is under ongoing monitoring until Sep 2021
Contaminated Areas
Sediment (Fresh): Risk Not Evaluated
8 Inactive Sites
Sites where military cleanup actions are complete, according to the DOD. Note that this status does not necessarily mean the site is no longer hazardous, as many of these sites are put under long-term monitoring or other restrictions.
Site ID: 13CON/HTRW
TURBOCARE (FNA QUABBIN IND.) 500 GAL UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS
Underground Storage Tanks
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2008
Site ID: 10CON/HTRW
MA MUN WHOLESALE ELEC CO
Underground Storage Tanks
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 1998
Site ID: 14HTRW
SI AT JOB CORPS FACILITY
Site Not Recommended For Action
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 1999
Contaminated Areas
Sediment (Fresh): Risk Not Evaluated
Site ID: 04CON/HTRW
CINDEX INDUNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKSRIES
Underground Storage Tanks
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 1991
Site ID: 09CON/HTRW
JOB CORPS
Underground Storage Tanks
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2001
Site ID: 11HTRW
MMWEC AND HAMPDEN CO
Soil Contamination After Tank Removal
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 1997
Contaminated Areas
Sediment (Fresh): Risk Not Evaluated
Site ID: 02PRP/HTRW
WESTOVER
Soil Contamination After Tank Removal
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Jun 2004
Site ID: 01CON/HTRW
WESTOVER
Underground Storage Tanks
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 1987
Update (Dec. 5, 2017): We have changed the source of the installation cost data after being notified by the Department of Defense that they erroneously reported their own cost figures on the DERP website. We are now displaying the costs the department says are the most accurate available, from the Pentagon’s DERP database that we received in a FOIA request.
Note: The risk level of a site refers to a relative risk assessment made by the DOD to prioritize the cleanup of sites.
Data: All data comes from the Defense Environmental Restoration Program and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and will be released soon at the ProPublica Data Store. Read our methodology »