Editing Fort Wainwright (section)

==Environmental issues==
=== Site contamination ===
Since 1978, Fort Wainwright has been participating in the Department of Defense Installation Restoration Program to investigate and clean up contamination. In 1985 and 1986, lead and chromium were detected in monitoring wells at the landfill. In 1987, chromium and tetrahydrofuran were detected in monitoring wells at the proposed housing area, and chromium was detected in soil.<ref name=":6">{{cite news|date=June 2009|title=Fort Wainwright, Taku Gardens (102 Communications Site)|agency=State of Alaska Department for Environmental Conservation}}</ref> About 15,000 people live and work at the fort and obtain drinking water from wells in close proximity to contaminated source areas. The Chena River also runs through the contaminated area of Fort Wainwright.<ref name=":7">{{cite news|date=30 August 1990|title=NPL Site Narrative for Fort Wainwright|agency=US EPA}}</ref>

==== National priorities listing ====
In August 1990 Fort Wainwright was registered on the national priorities list as a [[Superfund]]. In most source areas, groundwater is contaminated with [[solvent]]s and [[petroleum]] products, in a few source areas, with pesticides and/or fuel additives. Soil contains some solvents, waste oil, waste fuel/petroleum products, pesticides, paint residues, fuel tank sludge and [[polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon]]s (PAHs). Sediments contain PAHs and low level pesticides. Contaminants on the site also include mercury.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{cite news|date=February 2007|title=FORT WAINWRIGHT|agency=US EPA}}</ref>

==== Taku Gardens ====
To meet the needs of new personnel and their families, construction of 128 homes on a 54-acre housing project known as Taku Gardens began in 2005 on the former communications site. In June, 2005 construction workers noticed "stained soil and unusual odors during excavation of a building foundation" and laboratory testing revealed the presence of PCB at concentrations of up to 115,000&nbsp;mg/kg - Alaska's current clean-up standard is 1&nbsp;mg/kg.<ref name=":6" /> Further testing of the site revealed the presence of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, chlorinated compounds including solvents, herbicides, pesticides, dioxins, and "munitions-related compounds" such as nitroaromatics and propellants. Construction was suspended August–September 2005 and continued until end of 2006. A January, 2007 Army audit questioned "the wisdom of building a family housing complex on top of a known 1950s-era military landfill" and concluded that "the situation with the Taku construction project is the direct result of multiple individuals failing to adhere to Army and federal regulations and guidance.<ref>{{cite news|date=July 7, 2008|title=Army knew Alaska base family housing site was toxic|agency=PEER}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{cite news|date=January 2007|title=Taku Housing Construction Project Audit|agency=Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, US Army Alaska}}</ref> From 2007 to 2010 drums and debris were excavated, PCB contaminated soil was removed and backfilled, but some fuel and volatile organic compound-contaminated soil and groundwater remains on site.

Construction of the housing project resumed during the summer of 2011. In the intervening years, many housing units between Taku Gardens and the main gate were reconstructed or renovated, with new housing built as well. Immediately northeast of Taku Gardens, Bear Paw was built on a part of the former site of Bassett Army Hospital, while construction of new homes began on the rest of the site in 2011. Immediately northeast of Bear Paw, Denali Village, a much larger development, was constructed between Glass Park and the former billeting. Taku Gardens area, the newer housing across from Bassett Hospital was renamed to Tanana Trails in 2015.

==== Hangar 6 ====
In June, 2006, civilian construction workers at Aircraft Maintenance Hangar No. 6 – known by the Corps of Engineers to be a designated Hazardous Waste Accumulation point – were overcome by fumes described as "pungent, chalky and metallic tasting" and suffered nausea, headaches and other symptoms. A state health report concluded that "an unknown, volatile chemical likely caused nerve damage to the disabled workers." More than 30 workers were hospitalized and at least 4 have suffered lasting disabilities. The workers initiated a civil suit against the Army which was dismissed because the workers were limited to state workers’ compensation as their only relief.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Chemical caused nerve damage to military base workers|agency=PEER|issue=January 20, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Burke|first1=Jill|date=January 20, 2011|title=Unearthed toxin at Fort Wainwright likely injured workers|publisher=Alaska Dispatch}}</ref>

==== Underground storage fuel tanks ====
EPA inspections found that from at least 2012 to 2013, Fort Wainwright failed to monitor underground storage tanks regularly, perform leak detection tests, and investigate suspected releases. The Army paid a penalty of nearly $158,700.<ref>{{cite news|date=2 July 2014|title=Fort Wainwright Reduces Water Contamination Risk from Fuel Tanks in EPA Settlement|agency=US EPA}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=1981|title=Fort Wainwright, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Land Withdrawal: Environmental Impact Statement|agency=US EPA}}</ref>