Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Radford Army Ammunition Plant

On This Page

• Status
• Background
• Contaminants and Risks
• Institutional Controls
• Documents and Reports
• Photos, Maps and Diagrams
• Reuse Information
• Questions

EPA ID: VA1210020730
Location:
State Route 114
Radford, VA 24143
Property Area 4600 acres
Congressional District:
Other Names:Hercules Radford Army Ammunition Plant
Last Updated: April 2013

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Status

• Corrective Action at The Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP) is being addressed under a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Permit that was first issued by U.S. EPA in 1989. The permit was reissued October 31, 2000. The RAAP has been in the process of assessing the Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs), Areas of Concern, Site Screening Areas, and Miscellaneous Units, collectively called units, at the Site. Seventy-seven units were identified for investigation and potential remediation pursuant to the 2000 permit. Various investigations and actions have been completed and reports have been submitted to EPA and the Commonwealth of Virginia, since 1989. Since 1989 four additional SWMUs were added to the list of units to be investigated at RAAP.
• Seventy-six units have been investigated and 19 SWMUs were found to be contaminated and were addressed primarily through the excavation and removal of contaminated soil from the RAAP. The remaining units were found not to pose an unacceptable risk. In May 2011 EPA issued a Statement of Basis proposing Final Remedies for the 76 units. The Proposed Remedy(ies) for each unit were described generally as one or a combination of the following: 1) Soil Removal and Disposal; 2) Groundwater Monitoring; 3) Administrative Controls (such as land use restrictions) or Engineering Controls (such as inspection and maintenance at certain SWMUs) to protect the integrity of the remedy or 4) No Additional Investigation/Remediation. This leaves five SWMUs still included in the Corrective Action permit for investigation and if appropriate, remediation.
• In April 2012 EPA issued a Final Decision and Response to Comments on the May 2011 Statement of Basis - selecting the Final Remedy as proposed. Investigation of the remaining units is ongoing and is forecast for completion during 2013. EPA will modify the RCRA Corrective Action Permit to require implementation of the Final Remedy for all the units at RAAP.
• EPA anticipates proposing the Corrective Action Permit for renewal during the Fall/Winter of 2012 through 2013. As part of the process a "draft" permit will be issued for Public Comment. EPA will propose renewing the Corrective Action Permit to include any remaining investigation and remediation/clean up obligations in accordance with the Final Decision of April 2012. The permit renewal will have on-going obligations for any future environmental compliance and clean up.

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Background

• RAAP is a government-owned, contractor-operated military installation supplying solvent and solventless propellant and explosives to the Armed Forces. Construction of the current RAAP production facility began in 1940. RAAP initially consisted of a smokeless powder plant, referred to as [Radford Ordnance Works (ROW)].
  
• RAAP has been conducting investigations and/or clean-ups at 77 total areas identified in the Corrective Action Permits.  Details of these investigations/cleanups can be found in the online Information repository at http://radfordaapirp.org/inforepo/online-index.htm.
• RAAP also conducts quarterly Restoration Advisory Board Meetings to keep the public informed of progress at the site 

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Contaminants and Risks

• The plant manufactures many types of explosives, ammunitions and rocket fuel, and containments associated with the manufacture of these products included heavy metals and solvents.

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Institutional Controls

• No institutional controls are currently in place.

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