Mid-Atlantic Superfund

EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)

Maryland
Harford and Baltimore Counties

EPA ID# MD2210020036

2nd Congressional District

Last Update: May 2008

Other Names

USA Aberdeen Proving Ground
US Coast Gaurd - Upper Chesapeake Range
USA Edgewood Arsenal
US Coast Guard - Poole Island Range

Current Site Status

Investigations and cleanups of the widespread contaminated areas continue at this site. Over 20 RODs have been completed for this huge site, but at least 15 more will need to be issued to complete all of the cleanups this NPL site. Construction of remedial actions has been completed at numerous areas. A ROD was issued for numerous areas at the Westwood Area and removal of contaminated soils are almost completed. A ROD has been signed for the remaining Westwood Areas and removal of lead contaminated soils at the Bush River Site is complete.A ROD for 11 areas in Canal Creek was issued in 2006 and the remedial design is underway. The New O-Field area removal is completed. The White Phosphorous Pits were investigated and the ROD is almost completed. Excavation of all radioactive waste/soil has been completed. A ROD for the G-Street Salvage Yard site was signed in 2007 and was needed to facilitate BRAC redevelopment of nearby properties. The design for G-Street was completed in May 2008. Numerous other waste areas are close to final decisions, but many additional RI/FS/RODs will be needed to complete the site. A second five-year review is due in 2009 for the entire Edgewood NPL Site.

Site Description

The Edgewood area is 13,000 acres and includes Gunpowder Neck, Pooles Island, Carroll Island, and Graces Quarters. The Edgewood area was used for the development and testing of chemical agent munitions. From 1917 to the present, the Edgewood area conducted chemical research programs, manufactured chemical agents, and tested, stored, and disposed of toxic materials. The Edgewood area has large areas of land and water and numerous buildings that are contaminated or suspected of contamination. Virtually all the land areas of the site reportedly are contaminated or potentially contaminated. Substances disposed of in the area include significant quantities of napalm, white phosphorus, and chemical agents. On-site surface waters include rivers, streams, and wetlands. There are 38,600 people living within three miles of the site. On-site residences house military personnel and military dependents. Four Edgewood-area standby water supply wells in the Canal Creek area previously served approximately 3,000 people. These wells have been abandoned. The Long Bar Harbor well field of the County Department of Public Works and the well field used by the Joppatowne Sanitary Subdistrict serve 35,000 people within three miles of the site. On-site groundwater sampling has identified various metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chemical warfare agent degradation products. On-site soil contamination sampling has identified various VOCs, metals, and unexploded ordnance in surface and subsurface soil. On-site surface water sampling has identified various metals, pesticides, phosphorus, and VOCs. People who accidentally ingest or come in direct contact with contaminated groundwater, surface water, soil, or sediments may be at risk. The area is a designated habitat for bald eagles.

Site Responsibility

Cleanup of this site is the responsibility of the Federal government.

NPL Listing History

This site was proposed to the National Priorities List of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites requiring long term remedial action on April 10, 1985. The site was formally added to the list February 21, 1990.

Threats and Contaminants

On-site ground water sampling has identified various metals, pesticides, phosphorus, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chemical warfare agent degradation products. On-site soil contamination sampling has identified various VOCs, metals, PCBs, pesticides, and unexploded ordnance in surface and subsurface soil. On-site surface water sampling has identified various metals, pesticides, phosphorus, and VOCs. People who accidentally ingest or come in direct contact with contaminated ground water, surface water, soil, or sediments may be at risk. The area is a designated habitat for bald eagles.

Contaminant descriptions and associated risk factors are available on the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, an arm of the CDC, web site at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hazdat.html

Cleanup Progress

Actual Construction Underway

The site is being addressed in: initial actions (removals) and 15 long-term remedial phases focusing on cleanup of the entire site, grouped here according to type of activity.

Significant Early Actions: In 1991, a leaking underground storage tank was removed from the Nike site. Other removal efforts include: testing and removing underground storage tanks, removing contaminated soil and taking post excavation samples, and removing surface wastes from the G-street location and transporting the wastes to an off-site disposal facility. Removal actions continue through 1997 focusing on excavation of soil contaminated with organics, fuel, and radioactive contaminants. A removal action to eliminate the threat posed by chemical munitions in the Lauderick Creek Area (within 1/4 mile from offsite residential properties) was completed.

Long-term Actions in the Canal Creek Area: In 1996 a ROD was written for excavation of soil contaminated with lead and zinc from the Bldg 503 Burn Areas. The soil was used as fill material under a cap being installed over a nearby landfill. Construction began late summer 1997 and was completed in November of 1997.

In 1996 a ROD was written for installation of a multi-layer cap over the Bldg 103 landfill. The landfill contains process and production equipment and other residual materials from chemical warfare agent production and development in the Canal Creek Area. Construction is complete.

Long-term Actions at Old-O-Field Chemical Munition Landfill: In the fall of 1991 a ROD was written requiring hydraulic containment of contaminated groundwater. An extraction system and chemical treatment system was constructed and has been operational since the fall of 1995. Continuous automated biomonitoring is used to ensure the treated effluent is not toxic to fish. In 1994 a ROD was written to control the threat of fire and explosion caused by the contents of the landfill. The ROD required construction of a permeable cap which is equipped with air monitoring to detect releases, and a system to soak the landfill hydrolyzing any air releases and extinguishing fires. Construction of the cap is complete. In 1997, a ROD requiring long term monitoring of Watson Creek (adjacent to Old O-Field) was written. A removal of contaminated soils at New O-Field is completed and a ROD is planned for New O-Field in 2009.

Long-term Actions at the Old Nike Site: In 1996 a ROD was written for the Nike Site requiring extraction and treatment of groundwater contaminated with TCE, install a cap on a small landfill, clean and seal a contaminated sewer system. These actions are completed. As previously written a Non-Time Critical Removal action was completed to remove chemical ordnance items within 1/4 mile of the facility boundary. Excavation of munitions should begin in the fall. The sewer system action was completed in the summer of 1997. The landfill cap was completed in the summer of 1998. Construction of the groundwater treatment plant is complete and the plant is operating as expected.

Long-term Actions at J-Field: In 1996 a ROD was written for the J-Field Area requiring removal of contaminated soil, installation of a soil cap, and construction of erosion control measures. Construction began in the spring of 1998, and has been completed. A test to determine if phytoremediation with trees can effectively contain the contaminated groundwater and remove contaminants at J-Field was completed and a ROD for groundwater was issued. A remedial investigation has been completed for the J-Field White Phosphorous Pits and the ROD was issued in 2007.

Long-term Actions at Carroll Island/Graces Quarters: Also in 1996 a ROD was written requiring the excavation of 13 disposal pits on Carroll Island which contained remnants of chemical agent testing. Removal of the pits is complete. A decision was made to restrict future land use and to armor vulnerable shoreline against future erosion using breakwaters and other structures. The construction of the shoreline protection has been completed. A ground water remediation system was installed at Graces Quarters to address solvent contaminated ground water and is completed, operational and has dramatically reduced VOC levels in the aquifer. The Graces Quarters site is construction complete.

A treatment plant has been completed at the Nike Site and is currently treating groundwater. Construction of the Canal Creek water treatment plant was completed and the plant is in operation.
In the summer of 2001, a decision was reached requiring the Army to pump and treat lead and zinc contaminated groundwater in the Canal Creek Area of the facility. Design work and construction was completed and the treatment system has reduced contamination almost to MCLs. The Lauderick Creek O&E removal action has removed a huge number of munitions and was completed in 2003.
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A ROD was issued to address 33 sites in the Westwood Area recently and the remedial action is almost completed. The last and final ROD for the entire Westwood Area has been signed. There are numerous other investigations being conducted at the New O-Field Area, J-Field, Canal Creek and the Other Edgewood Areas. Investigations have been completed at several major areas, but will need to wait for completion due to limited financial and human resources. There are numerous other investigations underway and many RODs needed to complete the site work. Most of this work is being performed under performance based contracts.

Contacts

Site Contacts

Administrative Record Locations