Mid-Atlantic Superfund

EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)

Disctrict of Columbia

EPA ID#

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) Congressional District

Last Update: January 2008

Other Names

None

Current Site Status

EPA is currently reviewing a white paper, which discusses technical strategy for dealing with the sediment hotspots. NOAA and EPA are compiling the comments and will respond to them in a revised white paper within the next month or so. AWTA be reporting out to the AWSC on the progress next week. AWTA should be holding a meeting in late Feb or March to discuss the white paper and to begin planning a tech conference on the Anacostia.

The Anacostia River Initiative comprises cleanups at several sites along the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. that may have an impact on the river. These sites include: Anacostia Marina, Kennilworth Landfill, Camp Simms, Barney Circle, St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington Gas &; Light, Southeast Federal Center, Bolling Air Force Base, and Washington Navy Yard. EPA is currently participating in cleanup activities at these sites and in an investigation of the sediments in the Anacostia watershed. The Washington Navy Yard took sediment samples in the River in September 2006. The validated results will be available in March 2007 for EPA review and comment. The validated results were submiited in April 2007. EPA completed its review of the Phase I Data Report for the OU-2 Near Shore Sediments document. EPA will be meeting with the Navy and representatives from BTAG on February 5, 2008 to scope out the work plan for the OU-2 report. Phase II is scheuled to begin with a workplan submittal in March 2008.

Five special appropriations for this initiative have been provided to EPA by Congress.

The success of the partners efforts in this watershed has resulted in the Anacostia River being selected as one of four sites nationally under the Urban Rivers Pilot Initiative. This initiative is a joint EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers effort to develop investigative and remediative strategies for dealing with urban watersheds. The group's work has also won it praise as the model for the new EPA Headquarters "One Cleanup" initiative which looks to address environmental problems accross divisional lines.

Additionally, the Anacostia River Initiative has been so successful that similar work is now being performed for the Elizabeth River. There will be a Federal Coordination meeting on June 23, 2006 to discuss the signing of a MOA between EPA, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration (NOAA), and the Army Corp of Engineers. The puirpose of the MOA is to formalize the relationships these agencies have had in working on the Anacostia. The group is also working on putting together an Anacostia Summitt which is scheduled to take place November 17, 2006. Participants will include both public and private organizations as well as citizens groups. The agenda for the summitt has not been finalized at this date. Ben Grumbles the Assistant Administrator for the Water Divisionn spoke at the Earth Conservation Corps on Earth Day and announced that RFP's for Anacostia applications would open that day. The RFPs are due to EPA on July, 19 2006. A new governing structure was ratified by the DC Council of Governments on June 13, 2006. Mayor Anthony Willimas spoke at this event which changed the way the Anacostia Wastershed Resources Council (AWRC) will be managed. The new structure will include heads of several DC and Maryland agencies including the Mayor himself and Governor Bob Ehrlich of MD. There will be a leadership council along with steering and management commmittees. The management committee will include the current AWRC membership. AWTA's most recent meeting took place on May 16, 2007 several members made presentations on various cleanup alternatives for the sediment. The next meeting is scheduled for June 25, 2007.

Site Description

The Anacostia River, located in Maryland and the District of Columbia, has been identified as one of the 10 most contaminated rivers in the country and also one of three areas of concern for the Chesapeake Bay. To be able to effectively assess and manage contaminated sediments in a tidal system requires an understanding of river dynamics. These include an understanding of sources and distributions of contaminants, fate and transport properties including sediment depositional patterns, and human and ecological resource use. This can be an extensive effort, which may be considered to be outside the requirements and fiscal resources of single parties.

The Anacostia Watershed Toxics Alliance (AWTA) is a public-private partnership formed in March 1999 to address the problem of toxic sediments in the tidal Anacostia River. There are approximately 25 participating members comprised of federal regulatory and resource agencies, state and local environmental agencies, industry, academia, and the public. The objective of the Alliance is to investigate toxic substances that present an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment and develop and implement a comprehensive contaminated sediment management strategy.

By pooling available fiscal and technical resources, AWTA has been successful in developing a watershed-based approach to address the problem of contaminated sediments. A three-phased approach with an aggressive schedule is being executed. Phase I consisted of a compilation and evaluation of existing data from various investigations in the River; Phase II is a focused investigation to address critical data gaps; and Phase III is the development and implementation of a comprehensive contaminated sediment management strategy with associated cost estimates.

Innovative assessment technologies include real time chemical and hydrodynamic data acquisition; sediment trend analysis; contaminant source quantification, fate and transport, and hydrodynamic modeling; bioaccumulation modeling; ecological risk assessment techniques to establish cause and effect relationships between contaminant exposure and observed effects; and risk based monitoring approaches. Innovative contaminated sediment management techniques include innovative caps, wetland and stream restoration, Low Impact Development techniques, and recommendations for protective, watershed based, regulatory considerations. Information and data are being incorporated into GIS based Watershed Database and Mapping projects for data evaluation and risk communication.

Camp Simms

The former 169-acre Camp Simms Military Reservation is located in the District Alabama Avenue bounds the site on the north, Southern Avenue to the south, and 13th Street on the west. Mississippi Avenue runs east to west through the middle of the site. Between 1904 and 1958, the Washington, D.C. National Guard operated portions of Camp Simms as an encampment and firing range. The land, which the Department of Defense (DoD) purchased between 1917 and 1918, was used to train and prepare D.C. National Guard personnel as well as Army, Navy, and Marine Corps units located in and around the District. Machine gun and automatic rifle ranges, along with pistol and small arms firing ranges, were routinely used. Other groups, such as local police, park police, White House police, the FBI, Maryland National Guard, Capitol Police, National Rifle Association rifle clubs, Georgetown University, and civilian rifle clubs used the target ranges as well. Several ranges were placed in front of existing hills to contain the bullets fired into the targets.

The District of Columbia currently owns the northern 24 acres. Between 1986 and 1987, the District demolished all buildings on its parcel. Removing unexploded ordnance (UXO) was determined to be the only remedy necessary, and this action was completed in September 1995.

A more detailed investigation of the site was completed in February 1996. Elevated levels of lead were found in soil samples collected from the former backstops. Soil with an elevated concentration of lead is a potential source of exposure to neighborhood children, onsite workers, construction workers, and park visitors. Potential lead exposure includes ingestion and contact with skin.

Based on these findings, the District implemented active erosion-control measures and institutional controls to prevent lead exposure to the public and the environment. In addition, over 300 conventional pieces of ordnance were removed from the top four feet of soil at Camp Simms. Currently the District, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and reassessing the need for further ordnance clearance.

On the remaining 145 acres (owned by the National Park Service), the USACE has investigated and cleared UXO making the park suitable for recreational use.

Barney Circle

The Barney Circle Landfill Site is a 10-acre lot adjacent to the Anacostia River in a primarily residential area of the District. The National Park Service (NPS) of the U.S. Department of Interior owns the property. From approximately 1898 to 1935, the U.S. War Department (now DoD) owned the site. During that time, municipal waste, along with sediment from USACE dredging operations in the Anacostia River, were deposited in an onsite landfill. Various other materials were also reportedly used as fill, including ash from coal-fired power plants. In 1935, the property was transferred to the NPS. The site was on part of the right-of-way for a proposed extension to I-395 (which the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration never built).

As the result of a Remedial Investigation (RI) completed on December 14, 1992 and a Feasibility Study (FS) completed on August 30, 1994, contaminated soil was found in a landfill under NPS land along the proposed right-of-way of the Barney Circle Freeway, and a removal action was proposed to excavate and dispose of contaminated soils offsite. When the freeway project was canceled, NPS reconsidered the proposed remedy for the site, and instead of removing the contaminated soil, other remedies such as onsite stabilization, erosion controls, and construction of barriers were constructed in July 1997. This action mitigated the threat posed by the site and was protective of human health and the environment. Institutional controls that restrict site usage and require monitoring of the sediment and surface water in the Anacostia River were also deemed necessary.

The RI/FS identified 53,000 cubic yards (3,300 truckloads) of waste that is hazardous because of its content of undissolved lead migrating from landfill material located at the site. As a result, this remedial action stabilized conditions at the site, and prevented the continued migration of hazardous substances into the adjoining wetland and Anacostia River. Routine site monitoring has demonstrated that the landfill cover has stabilized site conditions.

St. Elizabeth's Hospital

St. Elizabeth's Hospital has operated as a mental institution since the Civil War. In 1977, the District received a landfill permit to dispose of waste at the hospital. In 1983, the federal government closed a portion of the landfill, and in 1987 sold the hospital and the property to the District government. In 1989, the District government closed the remaining portion of the landfill.

Through the Hazard Ranking Score (HRS), EPA determined that the St. Elizabeth site will not qualify for inclusion on the NPL. The HRS is a measurement tool used to evaluate the risks posed to public health and the environment by a hazardous waste site. The HRS calculates a score on the potential of a hazardous substance moving from the site through the air, water, or soil. EPA places sites with a HRS score of 28.50 or higher on the NPL. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) issued two health consultations, one on September 25, 1995 and the other on April 23, 1997 (draft), supporting EPA's position that the landfill does not pose a threat to area residents predominately because of the lack of pathways of lead to the population.

In the residential area of Dunbar and Pomeroy Roads, sampling results for lead ranged from 40.2 parts per million (ppm) to 861 ppm, with three out of 12 samples exceeding the 400-ppm action level. To determine if the elevated levels of lead in the neighborhood soil where posing a threat to area residents, the District's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program collected blood from three adults and 41 children under the age of six years. On April 8, 1997, EPA received the results of the blood/lead study. All of the neighborhood participants were below the risk-based screening level of 10 ug/dl. After reviewing all available environmental and blood/lead data, ATSDR, concluded that the concentrations of lead in the neighborhood soil do not pose a health threat to area residents. Because of this finding, no further action is expected to be taken at St. Elizabeth's.
Landfills on the other side of MLK Boulevard are currently undergoing investigations by the DC Department of Health.

Washington Gas & Light

The East Station site of Washington Gas covers an area of approximately 19 acres and includes property owned by Washington Gas, NPS, the District government and the USACE. The portion of the site owned by Washington Gas formerly contained the East Station gas manufacturing plant. The plant was put into operation in 1888 and operated continuously until 1948 when Washington Gas converted to natural gas transported from distant wells. Between 1948 and 1983, the plant was used only intermittently for periods of peak gas demand during winter months.

To manufacture gas, coal was heated in a sealed chamber (or retort) causing gas to be formed a process known as gasification. In later years, oil was used in the manufacture of gas. The principal by-products from coal gasification are coke and coal tar.

Demolition of the manufactured gas plant was completed in 1985. Oil tanks were removed in 1997. In 1993, Washington Gas installed a two-story brick building containing offices and a groundwater treatment system.

The NPS property along the river is used principally by the D.C. Department of Public Works, Street Maintenance Division, to store and maintain heavy equipment. A small portion of the NPS property located under and east of the 11th Street Bridge is accessible to the public and mainly used by a rowing club. The 18.8-acre parcel owned by the USACE is adjacent to the river and used as a staging area for the removal of floating debris from the Anacostia and Potomac rivers.

Since 1976, Washington Gas has been pumping and treating groundwater to remove dense non- aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) and dissolved organic constituents of DNAPL. In 1993, a new groundwater treatment facility was installed in the treatment/office building on the East Station property. The treatment system processes groundwater that is pumped from the interceptor trench and three recovery wells. In addition to treating groundwater, Washington Gas pumps free-phase DNAPL directly from five other recovery wells in which it naturally pools. Washington Gas recently had a 30 day public comment period for a five-year review for the Decision Document that was approved by EPA in September 1999. The public comment period ended on November 14, 2005.

Southeast Federal Center

The Southeast Federal Center (SEFC) comprises approximately half of the former 124-acre Washington Navy Yard. Releases of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals have been detected on site and in the Anacostia River. EPA entered into a RCRA 3013 Administrative Order to investigate these releases in July, 1999.

In order to accomplish the requirements set forth in the RCRA Order, funding at the SEFC was increased to $30 million total in FY'99 to conduct the required environmental remediation and demolition activities.

Remedial actions already underway or completed include: removal of contaminated sediments (heavy metals and PCBs) from four stormwater outfalls, including the primary storm sewer outfall onsite (completed December 1998); issuance of an NPDES permit; abate/raze 12 Buildings contaminated with PCBs, heavy metals, and asbestos (plans and specifications are under review); remediation of soil hot spots at 11 sites contaminated with heavy metals and PCBs; and renovate seawall at the Anacostia River (design reviewed December 1998).

Once completed, the SEFC is expected to result in the creation of 7,000 new and relocated permanent jobs in this southeast Washington community.

Bolling Air Force Base

Bolling Air Force Base is located on 607 acres of land in the southeastern portion of the District, just south of the confluence of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. It is bordered on the north by Anacostia Naval Air Station; on the south by the Naval Research Laboratory and the Navy Bellevue Housing Annex; on the west by the Potomac River; and on the east by Interstate Highway 295. The U.S. War Department (now DoD) purchased Bolling Field on July 1, 1918. The property was turned over to the aviation section of the signal corps to serve as the primary aviation facility for the capital. In 1948, Bolling Field was renamed Bolling Air Force Base. Bolling played a significant role in both world wars, with thousands of civilian and military planes taking off and landing at the facility. The last flight to leave the base was in July 1962. Currently, the base serves many functions for the Air Force, including that of headquarters for all Air Force operations in the capital region.

The facility has several Installation and Restoration program (IRP) sites and approximately 50 Areas of Concern (AOCs) currently under investigation. The dates of operation of the IRP sites and AOCs range from the early 1900's to the present. The sites that are presently in operation include a heating plant, a car care center and a chemical storage building. Other IRP sites at the facility are at varying stages of the RI/FS process. The AOCs are generally at the preliminary assessment/site inspection stage (PA/SI).

The southwest corner landfill at the site accepted incinerator ash, petroleum, oils and lubricants between 1944 and 1974. The remediation for the landfill site has been completed. However, there is the potential that contamination from the landfill may have entered the Potomac River. EPA has concurred on Bolling's remedial alternative, which consisted of excavating areas of contamination in the surface and shallow subsurface soils; providing a cover over the existing site to restrict the potential exposure to humans from these subsurface soils; and implementing institutional controls to determine the need for additional remedial actions. Due to the fact that the landfill may have contributed to the contamination of the Potomac, Bolling's remediation strategy was to treat the soil and the river as two separate operable units. Bolling will address the river contamination as a member of the Anacostia Watershed Toxics Alliance, which is a consortium of public and private organizations whose mission is to clean up the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Bolling is in the process of developing two decision documents for the facility one at the Former Aircraft Parking Area ("FAPA") and the other at the Northern Landfill Fire Training Area ("NLFTA"). The FAPA is scheduled to be signed at the end of December 2005 and the NLFTA is scheduled to be signed at the end of March 2006.

Washington Navy Yard

The Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) between the Navy Yard, District of Columbia, and EPA was signed on June 30, 1999. Numerous cleanup projects have been implemented at the Washington Navy Yard including lead paint, PCB, and mercury removal and the rehabilitation of almost 6 miles of stormwater and sewer pipes. Additional work is being done at several other sites at the Yard. The partnering team has made an agreement in principle regarding an approach to site-wide background. The Eco-Subgroup has also been brought on board to help the team with it's ecological risk assessments. The first phase of the base-wide Remedial Investigation is currently under review. EPA will submit comments to the Navy on July 16, 2004. This investigation will be followed by a feasibility study in anticipation of a proposed cleanup plan. When the Navy selects a preferred plan, the public will have an opportunity to attend a public meeting where the plan will be explained. The meeting will be held during the 30-day public comment period. The partnering team has completed a Proposed Plan for site 4. The public comment period was scheduled to begin July 7, 2004 and end August 6, 2004. The public meeting for site 4 was scheduled for July 14, 2004. The Navy Yard will hold another public meeting at the facilty on December 7, 2005. The public meeting will have a presentation for the Proposed Plans for sites 5 and 16. Site 5 is soil around building 73 and Site 16 is the remediation of free phase mercury around buildings 71 and 146. The Washington Navy Yard took sediment samples in the River in September 2006. The validated results will be available in March 2007 for EPA review and comment. A Phase II sampling project is scheduled for August 2007. At the March 7, 2007 public meeting EPA, DCDOH and the Navy gave a joint presentation on a No Further Action Decision Document for Phase II Sites 1,2,3,7,9,11 and 13. This ROD was signed in September 2007. RAB meetings are held bi-monthly at the Washington Navy Yard.

With the cooperation of the Naval District Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and local community groups, a bi-monthly environmental open house is held at the Washington Navy Yard. The last open house was held July 14, 2004. This open house will be held at a local church because it will be in conjunction with the public meeting for Site 4. The open house sessions provide an opportunity for the community to ask questions and view informational posters and displays about several environmental issues of interest at and around the Washington Navy Yard. Informational posters were displayed by the Washington Navy Yard, GSA (Southeast Federal Center), IT/OHM (Storm Sewer Project), Bridges to Friendship, and the Anacostia Watershed Toxics Alliance.

Almost six miles of storm sewer have been rehabilitated. This action included sewer lining, excavation, and repairs, and was completed this year.

The Navy Yard took a proactive approach to addressing toxics loading to the river during storm events by initiating a Low Impact Development (LID) program at the Yard. Several LID projects were constructed last year in an attempt to help improve the water quality of the Anacostia River.

For more information see Washington Navy Yard under separate listing.

Site Responsibility

Joint responsibility among the members of the Anacostia Watershed Toxics Alliance.

NPL Listing History

This is not an NPL site.

Threats and Contaminants

River Sediment Contamination.

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

Please see current site status above.

Contacts

Site Contacts