Most people think of polluted sites as being something industry does. Not so. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has signed an agreement with the Department of Defense to remediate Joint Base Andrews (formerly Andrews Air Force Base) located in Clinton, Md. Although cleanup activities have been on-going at the facility, the federal facility agreement ensures that cleanup actions proceed with EPA oversight within an enforceable framework, in a manner that protects the community and the environment. The agreement will also give the EPA and the Air Force the framework for investigating new and evolving contamination at the base as it is discovered.
Most people think of polluted sites as being something industry does. Not so. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has signed an agreement with the Department of Defense to remediate Joint Base Andrews (formerly Andrews Air Force Base) located in Clinton, Md. Although cleanup activities have been on-going at the facility, the federal facility agreement ensures that cleanup actions proceed with EPA oversight within an enforceable framework, in a manner that protects the community and the environment. The agreement will also give the EPA and the Air Force the framework for investigating new and evolving contamination at the base as it is discovered.
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Joint Base Andrews is an active U.S. Department of Defense facility that occupies about 4,360 acres in Camp Springs, Prince George's County, Md., about five miles southeast of Washington, D.C. The facility was originally established as the Camp Springs Army Air Field in 1942 and became Andrews Air Force Base in 1947.
The Air Force (AF), EPA, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and Prince George's County health Department (PGCHD) in July 2001, identified 73 sites or areas of concern to be investigated under Superfund. Of these, the AF previously identified 23 sites and 11 Areas of Concern (AOCs).
This site was proposed to the National Priorities List of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites requiring long-term cleanup action on July 28, 1998. The site was formally added to the list May 10, 1999, making it eligible for federal cleanup funds.
Investigations have revealed the presence of numerous hazardous substances on site. These substances include lead, mercury, chromium, and cadmium; volatile organic compounds, such as tetrachloroethylene; semi-volatile organic compounds, predominantly polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons such as acenaphthene, benzo(a)pyrene, and fluoranthene; and polychlorinated biphenyls.
EPA, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and Prince George County Health Department (PGCHD) continue to work with the AF to accelerate cleanups. The first record of decision (ROD) was signed for a spill site in September 2005, and then one for a Fire Training Area in November 2005. These two RODs built on treatability studies initiated at the sites to remediate groundwater. It is expected that groundwater at these two sites may attain cleanup within 10-years.
Other RODs include the following:
The ROD for LF-05, Leroy's Lane Landfill was sign in July 2009. The remedial design,remedial action work plan and the remedial action is almost complete. The investigations continue at Landfills (LF-05), LF06/07 (Landfills 6 and 7), Base Lake North Area (BLNA) and SS22 (Hangar 13) as well as several other sites. Other work plans are being prepared for field work in an effort to support the remedy-in-pace by 2013.
The ROD was signed for ST14 East Side Service Station (Groundwater Contamination of TCE, Carbon Tetrachloride with several small petroleum plumes) in 2007. The remedial action (RA) is complete and long-term monitoring and treatment continues at ST14.
The RODs for LF-06, LF-07 and BLNA will be delayed based upon the disagreement between the Solid Waste Division of Maryland Department of the Environment and the AF. The Final Five-Year Review Report for the sites with remedies was reviewed signed in March 2011 and was finalized in May 2011. EPA was waiting to receive the AF's signed document since November 2010. The FFA negotiations were stalled based upon the disagreements at Tyndall AFB and EPA.
The AF was planning to issue a blanket performance based contract (PBC) for all the sites at Andrews AFB including Langley AFB. However, the Air Force issued a base wide (PBC) for Andrews AFB only. EPA is concerned about the work to be performed under this contract since the performance based contracts issued to date have not exhibited stellar performance and the Air Force issued the PBC for sites that do not have a RI, FS and/or ROD finalized and is some cases no data or investigation has ever been collected.
For further information: http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/npl/MD0570024000.htm
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