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Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Site photo goes here
- Additional Site Photos
- Site Video
Additional Resources
- Site Cleanup Terms - can be found in EPA's glossary
- EPA Guides to Cleanup Technologies
- Superfund Community Involvement (PDF) (17 pp, 130K, About PDF)
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: NC6170022580Location: Jacksonville, Onslow County, NC
Lat/Long: 34.717780, -077.342910
Congressional District: 07
NPL Status: Proposed: 06/24/88; Final: 10/04/89
Affected Media: Ground water, Sediment, Soil, Surface water
Cleanup Status: Physical cleanup activities have started
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Active military facility
Site Manager: Gena Townsend (townsend.gena@epa.gov)
Site Background
Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune is an active military base located on 236 square miles of land in Onslow County, North Carolina, adjacent to the southern side of the City of Jacksonville. MCB Camp Lejeune was commissioned in 1942 as a training area to prepare Marines for combat.
Jacksonville is the largest city near MCB Camp Lejeune and contains approximately half of the county's total population. Since 1990, much of the MCB Camp Lejeune complex has been part of Jacksonville. The areas adjacent to the MCB are generally rural. MCB Camp Lejeune is bisected by the New River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Both bodies of water are used for fishing and recreational activities. MCB Camp Lejeune is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, U.S. Route 17 to the west, and State Route 24 to the north.
The MCB complex consists of six geographical locations under the jurisdiction of the Base command. These areas include Camp Geiger, Montford Point, Courthouse Bay, Mainside, the Greater Sandy Run Area, and the Rifle Range Area. MCB Camp Lejeune is primarily industrial, but is also used for recreational, commercial, and residential purposes. In 1989, MCB Camp Lejeune was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL).
Threats and Contaminants
The Navy has detected a range of contaminants in soil, sediment, surface water, and ground water. Examples of contaminants identified include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Approximately 13,800 people obtain drinking water from wells. Ground water is the sole source of drinking water for the MCB and surrounding communities.
Site Cleanup Plan
Efforts were first initiated n 1983 to identify areas of concern that that might potentially cause threats to human health and the environment as a result of past storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous materials. Based upon a review of historical records, field inspections, and interviews, 76 areas of concern (AOCs), or sites, were identified. The Department of Navy (the Navy) initiated the Installation Restoration Program in 1986, following enactment of amendments to the federal Superfund law. Following the signing of a Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) in 1991 (see “Enforcement Activities”), 23 Operable Unit (OU)/sites were investigated in accordance with the federal Superfund law and amendments and the FFA. Additional sites have since been identified.
Since 1992, 17 Records of Decision (RODs), describing EPA’s preferred cleanup approach for these OU/sites, have been issued. The most recent ROD was issued in October 2006, describing the cleanup approach for Site 93 of OU-16. Site 93 is located within Camp Geiger, which is located in the extreme northwest corner of the Base. Major components of the cleanup approach included:
- Treatment of ground water treatment through on-site chemical oxidation.
- Monitored natural attenuation (use of natural processes to reduce concentrations of contaminants in ground water).
- Land use controls to limit exposure to ground water and prohibit the use of ground water except for monitoring.
Details of cleanup approaches for other OU/sites at MCB Camp Lejeune are available online.
Cleanup Progress
A range of cleanup actions have taken place at MCB Camp Lejeune. Details of cleanup actions already implemented or being planned are discussed below.
Site 78 –Hadnot Point Industrial Area (HPIA) Shallow Aquifer – In 1995, a ground water treatment plant was constructed to address a 590-acre aquifer contaminated with VOCs. In 1997, three additional wells were installed within the HPIA aquifer system to treat VOCs. Pilot studies were initiated at two ground water “hot spot” areas and completed in 2005. Oxygen Release Compound was injected into the vinyl chloride plume at Site 78 North; Hydrogen Release Compound was injected into the trichloroethene (TCE) plume at Site 78 South. Efforts are underway to evaluate the technologies and determine if they will be effective in reducing the contaminant concentrations.
In 1997, three additional wells were installed within the HPIA aquifer system to treat VOCs. Pilot studies were initiated at two ground water “hot spot” areas and completed in 2005. Oxygen Release Compound was injected into the vinyl chloride plume at Site 78 North; Hydrogen Release Compound was injected into the trichloroethene (TCE) plume at Site 78 South. Efforts are underway to evaluate the technologies and determine if they will be effective in reducing the contaminant concentrations.
OU-4 (Sites 41 and 74) – The ROD for this OU, issued in 1995, called for the use of institutional controls and ground water monitoring. Ground water monitoring was discontinued when sitewide ground water contaminant concentrations fell below the cleanup action goals. A Final Close Out Report, clarifying that all major cleanup activities were successfully completed, was finalized in 2006.
OU-16 (Site 93) – The ROD for this site, issued in 2006, called for the use of institutional controls, ground water monitoring and on-site chemical oxidation. The on-site cleanup approach was completed in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007. An Interim Close Out Report is underway and scheduled to be finalized in FY 2009.
OU-18 (Site 94) – A No Action ROD for this site was issued 2006.
OU-7 (Sites 1, 28, 30) – The ROD for these sites, issued in 1996, stipulated the use of institutional controls and ground water monitoring. Ground water monitoring was discontinued in 2001 when sitewide ground water contaminant concentrations fell below the cleanup action goals. A Final Close Out Report was completed in 2002.
Site 82 – In 1996, approximately 17,500 cubic yards of VOC-contaminated soils were treated with a soil vapor extraction system. A ground water treatment plant was also completed that is treating shallow and deep ground water contamination. In addition, a Bio Cell was constructed to treat 165 cubic yards of total petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils.
Site 21 – In 1995, the removal of 742 tons of PCB-contaminated soils was completed.
Site 6 – In 1995, the removal of 200 drums and five above-ground tanks was completed. In 1997, the removal of 2,500 cubic yards of pesticide- and PCB-contaminated soils was completed. In 2003, the removal of approximately 1600 tons of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)- and pesticide-contaminated soils was completed.
Site 43 – In 2003, the removal of approximately 1450 tons of PAH-contaminated soil was completed. The ROD for this site was issued in 2005.
Site 2 – In 1994, the removal of 1,049 tons of pesticide-contaminated soils was completed. Natural attenuation has successfully cleaned the ground water. Site Close Out is scheduled for FY 2009.
Site 35 – In 1995, the removal of 15,770 tons of solvent- and total petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils was completed. A ground water treatability study is underway to address the TCE-contaminated “hot spot” areas. A pilot study was conducted for a TCE “hot spot” in the area of the highway bypass. The pilot study was designed to inject modified Fenton’s Reagent and permanganate into the ground water. The study was completed and the report submitted in 2006.
Site 80 – In 1996, the removal of 950 tons of pesticide-contaminated soils was completed.
Site 88 – In 1996, the removal of five underground storage tanks, 2,000 gallons of waste liquids, and 120 tons of TCE- and perchloroethylene-contaminated soils was completed. In 2005, a second removal action was completed to address Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) (liquid contaminants that are relatively insoluble and heavier than water) soil source contamination under building 25.
Site 36 – In 1997, the removal of 240 tons of PCB-contaminated non-hazardous and hazardous soils was completed. The ROD for this site, issued in 2005, called for use of land use controls and monitored natural attenuation.
Montford Point Water Tower – In 1998, the removal of 400 tons of lead-contaminated soils was completed.
Site 3 –In 2000, 1,340 cubic yards of PAH-contaminated soils was completed.
Site 85 – In 2000, the removal of discarded battery packs from 16 areas was completed.
Site 84 –In 2006, the removal and disposal of 3,500 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated soils was completed. The ROD for this site was completed on January 1, 2009.
Site 89 – The removal of 6,150 cubic yards of VOC-contaminated soils is being conducted under a Time-Critical Removal Action. This action includes excavation with on-site treatment using Low-Temperature Thermal Desorption. The soil treatment was completed in 2001. A pilot scale treatability study began in 2003 using electrical resistance heating to treat the DNAPL area. Approximately 43,000 pounds of TCE contamination has been removed from the source area. The study was completed in 2004 and the final report was generated in 2005. Treatability Studies were completed in FY 2008 to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of four cleanup alternatives. A final Remedial Investigation Report is scheduled to be completed in FY 2009.
Site 93 – The ROD for this site, issued in 2006, called for the use of on-site chemical oxidation via permanganate injection and monitored natural attenuation to address VOC contaminated ground water. The cleanup action began in FY 2007 and was completed in FY 2008. An Interim Site Close Out is expected in FY 2009.
The second Five-Year Review (FYR), completed in 2005, concluded that all cleanup approaches used or in place remain protective of the environment and public health.
The Navy is leading site cleanup activities with oversight by EPA.
Enforcement Activities
In 1991, an FFA between EPA, North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources (now Department of Environment and Natural Resources), and the Navy was signed. The FFA was intended to ensure that potential environmental impacts associated with past and present activities at MCB Camp Lejeune are thoroughly investigated and appropriate Superfund response actions are developed and implemented as necessary to protect public health and the environment.
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at MCB Camp Lejeune to solicit community input and to ensure that the public remains informed about site activities throughout the site cleanup process. Outreach activities have included public notices and information meetings on cleanup progress and activities.
Future Work
The next FYR will be conducted in 2010.
Site Administrative Documents
Site Repository
For more information or to view any site-related documents, please visit the site information repository at the following location. As new documents are generated, they will be placed in the information repository for public information.
Onslow County Public Library
58 Doris Avenue
East Jacksonville, North Carolina 28540
Administrative Record Index
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.