Program Manager:
Kristi Francisco, (757) 824-6704

Facility Information

EPA Facility Identification Number: VA2800005033 (Langley Air Force Base/NASA Langley Research Center)
Facility Location: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681

EPA Contact: Ali Arvanaghi, (215) 814-5436

VDEQ Contact: Stephanie Sawyer, (804) 659-1735

Other (Former) Names of Site: NASA Langley was also operated as the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Langley Aeronautical Laboratory, and NASA’s predecessor agency, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).

Site Facts

NASA Langley is a leading federal research facility specializing in aeronautics, atmospheric science, and space exploration technologies, providing cutting-edge research and testing capabilities that support the safety and efficiency of flight. Established in 1917 under NACA, NASA Langley is the nation’s oldest civilian aeronautical research laboratory. The Langley Air Force Base (LAFB)/NASA Langley site in Hampton, Virginia, consists of two federal facilities listed together on the National Priorities List (NPL). However, investigations and response activities conducted under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) are managed separately for each installation. NASA is responsible for conducting CERCLA investigations and response actions at NASA Langley, while the U.S. Air Force is responsible for those activities at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, LAFB. NASA Langley entered into a Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) under CERCLA Section 120 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ). The FFA identified areas of NASA Langley where hazardous substances were located, as well as potentially contaminated sites warranting further investigation. For additional information on the EPA’s oversight, please visit their webpage: https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0303768

Contamination

Historic waste handling and disposal practices for waste disposal areas, past chemical spills, and past polychlorinated biphenyl waste storage areas have led to soil, groundwater, and sediment contamination at the Center which may present a potential endangerment to health and the environment.

What Is Being Done

NASA Langley conducts environmental investigations and cleanup activities in accordance with CERCLA and has evaluated multiple areas of potential environmental concern through CERCLA investigations. To date, 13 sites have been addressed at NASA Langley, and no-further-action or remedy decisions have been completed, signed, and implemented for all identified sites. In addition, approximately 36 acres of land along the Center’s eastern boundary, formerly owned by the Department of Defense, were reviewed and investigated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) under the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program. The USACE concluded that no further investigation is required for the eligible FUDS property at NASA Langley.

As part of a broader NASA initiative, NASA Langley completed a Preliminary Assessment for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 2022 and a Site Inspection in 2024. An expanded Site Inspection will be completed to address remaining data gaps in March 2026. A Remedial Investigation is underway to determine appropriate next steps under the CERCLA process. Regulatory oversight for CERCLA activities at NASA Langley is provided by the EPA and VDEQ.

Current Site Status

NASA will continue site investigations and propose to EPA remedial alternative(s), as appropriate to address contaminants where an unacceptable risk has been determined.

During cleanup, complex sites may be divided into several distinct areas to make the response more efficient. These areas, called operable units (OUs), may address geographic areas, specific problems, or medium (e.g., groundwater, soil) where a specific action is required. Currently, NASA Langley has five OUs addressed under CERCLA, three of which require Five-Year Reviews of the sites’ remedial actions. The remedies are displayed for the OU numbers indicated in the original decision document.

• OU-01: Area E Warehouse
• OU-02: Stratton Substation Soil
• OU-05: Construction Debris Landfill (CDL)

NASA has completed three Five-Year Reviews of ongoing remedial actions at the Area E Warehouse, Stratton Substation, and the CDL.

Five-Year Review of Remedial Actions at NASA Langley Research Center

The purpose of the Five-Year Review is to determine if cleanup actions completed at an environmental site continue to protect human health and the environment as required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). NASA conducts a review of ongoing cleanup actions every five years until hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants remaining at the site are below levels that allow for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure. NASA has completed three Five-Year Reviews for the Area E Warehouse (Operable Unit [OU]-01), Stratton Substation Soil (OU-02), and Construction Debris Landfill (CDL) (OU-05) sites.

Current Five-Year Review

Fourth Five Year Review – NASA will finalize this Review in 2026.

Public Notice

For any questions regarding the Fourth Five-Year Review, or the NASA Langley Restoration Program, please contact:

Kristi Francisco
Restoration Program Manager
NASA Langley Research Center
Mailstop: 133
9 Langley Boulevard
Hampton, VA 23681
kristi.l.francisco@nasa.gov
(757) 824-6074

Previous Reviews

First Five-Year Review – NASA completed this review in 2012. The Review determined the site remedies for the Area E Warehouse and Stratton Substation were protective and no recommendations for further evaluations were necessary. The CDL was not evaluated during this review as the final remedy for the OU had not yet been selected.

Second Five-Year Review – NASA completed this review in 2017. The Review determined the site remedies for the Area E Warehouse and Stratton Substation remain protective and no recommendations for further evaluations were necessary. For the CDL, the Review evaluated the interim remedy for volatile organic compound (VOC)–contaminated groundwater as documented in the Interim Action Record of Decision (ROD). The Review concluded that the CDL remedy was protective in the short term and expected to be protective of human health and the environment upon completion. In the interim, potential exposure pathways were being effectively managed through institutional controls. The Review recommended that contaminants of concern and cleanup goals be reevaluated during development of the final site-wide ROD. In addition, NASA was advised to coordinate with EPA and VDEQ prior to the next Review to determine an appropriate path forward for addressing the emerging contaminant 1,4-dioxane.

Third Five-Year Review – NASA completed this review in 2021. The Review determined in the site remedies for the Area E Warehouse and Stratton Substation remain protective and no recommendations for further evaluations were necessary. For the CDL, the Review determined the remedy was short-term protective and expected to be fully protective upon finalization of the site-wide ROD, which established the contaminants of concern, associated cleanup goals, and institutional controls. The ROD was finalized and signed in January 2022.

Site Repository

Copies of supporting technical documents and correspondence are available for public review at the following locations:

Poquoson Public Library

500 City Hall Avenue

Poquoson, Virginia 23662

(757) 868-3060