Schilling Air Force Base

Site Background

The former Schilling Air Force Base is a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) located in southwest Salina, Kansas. The base was originally built as the Smoky Hill Army Airfield in 1942 and was used during World War II as a processing and staging area for heavy bombardment units going overseas, including B-17 and B-29 aircraft. In 1946 the name was changed to the Smoky Hill Air Force Base, and it served during the 1950's Korean conflict as a base for the Strategic Air Command and the 310th and 40th Bombardment Wings. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the air force base underwent significant renovations resulting in the construction of a 12-silo Atlas F intercontinental ballistic missile complex, modifications to prepare for the next generation of aerial bombers and tankers, and another name change, the Schilling Air Force Base (Schilling AFB). The base was deactivated between 1965 and 1967; it is now used for the Salina Regional Airport and industrial, aviation, military, and educational facilities.

  1. Remediation Activities
  2. Path Forward
  3. Community Involvement
  4. Related Documents

Investigation & Remediation An aerial photograph of the Smoky Hill Army Air Field in 1943.

The Salina Airport Authority (SAA), Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have conducted numerous environmental investigations and some limited remedial actions at the Schilling AFB Site since the mid-1990s. Contaminants of concern include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds, and metals, which have been identified in soil and groundwater above their respective EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and KDHE Risk-based Standards for Kansas (RSKs). KDHE is also investigating the presence of perfluorinated chemicals (PFOS and PFOA), which are emerging contaminants. The former Schilling AFB Site has been divided into three Operable Units (OUs) Maps (PDF) based on the level of contamination and the highest potential risk to human health and the environment. OU-1 encompasses the northeastern portion of the former base, which now includes part of the Salina Regional Airport, Kansas State University-Salina, Salina TECH, various industrial and commercial businesses, and residential properties. OU-2 includes the southeastern portion of the former base and fire training area, which currently contains part of the Salina Regional Airport, Kansas National Guard Training facility, Schwans Plant, other various industrial and commercial businesses, and residential properties. OU-3 includes the western portion of the former base, runways, three former landfills, and other miscellaneous areas.The Salina Municipal Airport in 2012.

Activities between 1999 and 2012 were performed by USACE with KDHE oversight and included: removal of numerous underground storage tanks, installation of an air stripper at the Salina Vo-Tech School sump pump, vapor intrusion evaluation at select locations, a Remedial Investigation (RI), and Baseline Risk Assessment for OU-1, and long-term groundwater monitoring, At the conclusion of the USACE's RI, it was determined additional assessment was warranted in addition to completing a Feasibility Study (FS) to evaluate appropriate cleanup alternatives.

  1. Additional Resources

Site Documents

Portions of the reports may have been removed in order to make them web-ready. Complete copies are available by contacting Pamela Green or Schilling Air Force Base.