ANSBACH, Germany (Jan. 10, 2020) — Personnel from U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach hand-delivered a copy of the Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies in English to the Umweltamt der Stadt Ansbach, the Wasserwirtschaftsamt Ansbach and Landratsamt Ansbach. An English version of the studies was also provided to the Bundesanstalt für Immobilienaufgaben, the responsible agency for all federal real property matters.
U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach will provide a courtesy German translation as soon as it is available.
The U.S. Army Environmental Command approved release of the Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies for two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sites at the Katterbach Army Airfield to Host Nation authorities.
Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies PFAS remediation projects must be coordinated with the U.S. Army Environmental Command, based in San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Army Environmental Command approves and funds all remediation projects for U.S. Army locations worldwide.
Separate from the Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach funded the development of additional projects by the Nürnberg State Building Authority, or Staatliches Bauamt Nürnberg, to repair the drainage system on the eastern part of the airfield that feeds into Milmersbach Creek and two other storm water drainage systems on the southwest and northwest parts of the airfield.
U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach Environmental Management Division continues to monitor storm water drainage. In November 2019, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach hand-delivered copies of recent storm water-monitoring reports to the Umweltamt der Stadt Ansbach and Landratsamt Ansbach.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) containing PFAS was a common fire-fighting substance used internationally by civil and military aviation fire-fighting communities. Testing at many airfields worldwide has revealed elevated levels of PFAS.
By 2000, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach was not using PFAS-containing AFFF for any fire-fighting training and our Fire & Emergency Services have always maintained extinguishing foams in compliance with European Union regulations.
U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach remains committed to transparent and continuous collaboration with Host Nation authorities.