Cleanup Successes and Challenges James D. Werner Director, Air & Waste Management Division 26 October 2007
Dover AFB ERP Acceleration Initiative Committed cooperation between Air Force, EPA, and State transforms processes and accelerates program Achieved Remedy in Place (RIP) milestone at all 59 ERP sites 8 years ahead of DoD goal Signed 6 Records of Decision for 39 sites in only 6 months an Air Force record Obtained EPA & State buy-in on 36 intricate technical documents in just 12 months
DOVER AFB SUCCESS STORY - ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM (ERP) Accelerated Cleanup Supports the Mission Dover initiative focuses on restoring land for military operations as quickly and cost effectively as possible, while protecting human health & the environment In addition to achieving RIP, met cleanup objectives and completed response actions at 27 sites Opened up 54 acres of formerly restricted land for use in supporting the base s mission
CONTAMINANT ISSUES 1. Jet Fuel Contamination Locations: Y, Z, and AA parking pads and G Taxiway Control Tower and Buildings 201, 202, & 204 Cleanup: Fuel recovery (mechanical pumping) & biodegradation (injection of fuel-eating microbes) 2. Cl Solvent Contamination in Groundwater Location: Under approximately ¼ of the base Cleanup: Accelerated anaerobic biodegradation (injection of organic carbon to feed native microbes)
Dover AFB Environmental Restoration Success Construction of groundwater cleanup remedies covering 620 acres of contaminant plumes in only 7 months deployed 7 separate field crews simultaneously to construct Accelerated Anaerobic Biodegradation Installed 251 injection wells & injected over 10 million gallons of organic carbon biodegradation substrate (soybean oil and lactate)
Dover AFB Environmental Restoration Success Completed cleanup activities at 27 sites (achieved cleanup objectives and/or met cleanup standards) achieving Response Complete milestones Current status of Dover s 59 cleanup sites: 34 are Response Complete with land use controls in place 25 are Remedy in Place with groundwater cleanup ongoing
ROD Signing at Dover AFB May 2006 USAF, EPA and Delaware DNREC
Dover AFB Environmental Restoration Success Installation of 251 permanent injection and monitoring wells associated with groundwater cleanup remedies
Dover AFB awarded the Secretary of Defense Environmental Restoration Award in June 2007 Award recognizes the Department of Defense installation with the most outstanding Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) Judging criteria focuses on progress in meeting DoD environmental cleanup goals, innovative actions taken to accelerate progress and reduce costs, and program integration with the military mission.
C-5 Taxis Over Restoration Site Constructed under Taxiway
History Surf clamming operations occur off the northeast coast of the United States
History Discarded Military Munitions (DMM) removed from ocean floor during surf clams harvesting
SEA WATCH
SEA WATCH
SEA WATCH
SEA WATCH
Clamshell Stockpile
Residential Driveway
75mm CWM Projectile 24 Feb 06
75mm CWM Projectile 28 Feb 06
Mark II Hand Grenades
2 of 3 Categories of Chemical Weapons Being Addressed 1. Treaty-Driven Stockpile Disposal - - - Nine Sites 2. Treaty-Driven Non-Stockpile Work nearly complete 3. Buried and Sea-Dumped Little attention
Buried and Sea-Dumped Exact location, type and amount uncertain Location changing Includes classified, unknown, and operational range sites Safety-driven (NOT Treaty driven) Treaty applies when recovered Requirements uncertain
Ocean Dumps Large quantities, unknown condition 73 identified locations in Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, Mediterranean Sea, and Mississippi River Possibly Chesapeake Bay and other unlisted sites No clear requirement for even a plan yet, but assessment language in FY2007 Defense bill No funding stream (BRAC, FUDS, or Environmental Restoration)
CWM Locations Area 615 CWM 75MM MEC Discoveries * CWM 75MM * 1964 Chemical Dump
Deep Water Disposal Sites (East Coast)
Visit Cape Henlopen State Park (Former Ft. Miles)
Risk management issues Leave in place or recover? Store or destroy? Less toxic weapons (Mustard and Arsenicals) tend to be more persistent than nerve agent Secondary wastes (especially arsenic) Fate and Transport research needed for both ocean and land Integrate technology development with requirements development
Army multiple offices, changing roles Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health Army Environmental Center program manager for Military Munitions Response Program at Active Installations US Army Corps of Engineers (feudal organization) FUDS and other sites Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Product (part of Chemical Materials Agency) once recovered Core Group & National Academy of Sciences Others
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Tracking EPA asked DOD (J.C. King) to track munitions EOD incidents Rule being finalized, but No standard data sets No standards for tracking reports across various services Established as part of DOD munitions safety regulations
Proposed Legislation Sponsored by Sen. Akaka & Rep. Abercrombie (HI) Requires records review of chemical weapons dumps & and annual report Amend shipping maps Conduct research of sites & releases Authorizes R&D cooperative Agreements
Known Deep Water Disposal Site (Chemical Warfare Material - 1964) Munitions (CWM) loaded at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland Army loose-dumped 1,700, 75MM projectiles from single barge rounds Disposal site located: About 170 miles off shore At a depth of approximately 9,800 feet
History Property owners purchase clamshells for use for: Surfacing driveways, parking areas, etc. Landscaping EOD responses to requests for support of explosives and munitions emergency Clam processing plants Private property (31) in Delaware and Maryland Dover Air Force Base (DAFB) CWM incident with injuries (July 2004) Army DASA(ESOH) tasks North Atlantic Division, Baltimore District to: Work closely with state and federal regulators, the media, and property owners Investigate properties Conduct fact finding investigation Provide safety assistance