Naval Activity Puerto Rico

Other (Former) Names of Site: U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads

EPA Identification Number:	PR2170027203
Location:	Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Ceiba, Puerto Rico
EPA Contact:	Timothy R. Gordon, (212) 637-4167, gordon.timothy@epa.gov
Last Updated:	September 2006
Environmental Indicator Status:	Human Exposures Under Control [PDF 468.5 KB, 48 pp] has been verified. Groundwater Contamination Under Control [PDF 185.8 KB, 39 pp] has been verified.

Site Description

Naval Activity Puerto Rico (NAPR), formerly U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, is located on the east coast of the island of Puerto Rico in the municipality of Ceiba, approximately 33 miles southeast of San Juan. The nearest major town is Fajardo, which is 10 miles north of the station. The facility occupies approximately 8000 acres and is bordered on all sides but the west by the Caribbean Sea.

Since 1994 the facility has had a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit authorizing greater than 90 day storage of hazardous waste, in six container storage units (HWCSUs) located in the "DRMO" (Defense Reuse and Marketing Organization") compound. On February 3 and March 15, 2004, the facility submitted letters to EPA indicating it planned to cease using the six permitted HWCSUs, and close them commencing April 1, 2004. The letters indicate that future hazardous waste generated at the facility will be stored in an alternative "less than 90 day" storage unit, which does not require a RCRA permit.

Site Responsibility

The site is being cleaned up under Federal authority, with EPA the lead agency. However, the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board (EQB) participates with EPA in cleanup decision making and oversight.

Threats and Contaminants

There are several significant areas of environmental concern; however, since groundwater is not utilized for any purposes at Roosevelt Roads, or downgradient of it, and none of the areas of environmental concern are presently utilized for residential purposes, the most significant current threats are adverse environmental impacts to the surface waters of Ensenada Honda and other marine bays and mangrove areas bordering the facility. In addition, there is a potential human health threat for possible impacts to on-site future residents if the impacted areas were ever utilized for residential purposes. The most significant areas of environmental concern include:

Tow Way Fuel Farm (SWMUs 7 & 8) where past releases from product storage tanks and associated sludge burial pits have resulted in a large plume of phase separated petroleum hydrocarbons (200,000+ gallons) being present on the groundwater, and dissolved petroleum contaminant plumes are present in the groundwater. Contaminated soils are also present. An additional release, consisting of chlorinated solvent plumes in the groundwater near Tow Way Fuel Farm, though not associated with the product storage tanks and associated sludge burial pits, has recently been identified as SWMU 55.
Two long closed (in the late 1950's/early 1960's),unlined landfills which border the surface waters of Ensenada Honda. They are SWMU 1 (Army Cremator site) and SWMU 2 (Langley Drive disposal area). Indications are that in the past they received both non-hazardous and hazardous waste.
A third unlined landfill (SWMU 3), which has been operating since the 1960's as the base's non-hazardous, solid waste landfill. It is located adjacent to the surface waters of the Caribbean Sea and Ensenada Honda (a marine bay), and comprises 30 acres of currently active (i.e., operating) landfill and 55 acres of inactive landfill.
The long closed thermoelectric power plant (SWMUs 11 & 45) where in the past transformer fluids containing PCBs were disposed of, and includes:
- SWMU 11 - the interior areas of the power plant, where PCB fluids have contaminated many concrete surfaces; and asbestos containing materials are known to be present; and
- SWMU 45 - the exterior areas of the power plant and related structures, including:
  - PCB contaminated surface and subsurface soils adjacent to a concrete pad surrounding the plant. The soils have been remediated [removed] in 1994 as an Interim Measure);
  - abandoned underground cooling water tunnels leading from the power plant to Puerca Bay (outfall identified) and Ensenada Honda [Bay](outfall has not been located), which contained PCB containing sludges, oils, and water, and were cleaned up and sealed in 1996 as an Interim Measure; and
  - two large (50,000 gallon) underground fuel storage tanks, which contained PCB containing sludges, oils, and water, and were cleaned up and sealed in 1996 as an Interim Measure.

Cleanup Approach

The site is being addressed through Interim Corrective Measures (ICMs), RCRA Closure, and Corrective Measures directed at final cleanup of secific units. EPA may determine, subject to public review and comment of that determination, that implemented ICMs are sufficiently protective of human health and the environment to constitute the final corrective measure for any given solid waste management unit (SWMU) or Area of Concern (AOC).

Interim Corrective Measures (ICMs)

ICMs have been implemented at three areas at NAPR, which all constitute solid waste management units (SWMUs). In addition, access controls are being maintained at SWMU 11 (the interior areas of the closed power plant) as an ICM to prevent human exposure to the PCB and possible asbestos contamination inside the closed power plant. The ICMs implemented are:

SWMUs 7 and 8 (Tow Way Fuel Farm) - Phase separated hydrocarbon (PSH) recovery. An estimated 200,000 gallons of PSH are present, floating on the groundwater, and had been migrating to the southeast, along Forestal Road. PSH recovery commenced in 1994 utilizing a temporary recovery system. The system was abandoned in September, 1996, and a new recovery system, consisting of seven recovery wells, came on line in April 1997. The original temporary and new system had recovered a cumulative total of 15,780 gallons of PSH as of October 31, 1999. However, overall recovery results have been judged unsatisfactory, and it was shut down in October 1999. Extensive pilot testing of several technologies was conducted by the Navy between 1999 and 2001 to determine their effectiveness. The Navy has developed a final cleanup proposal for the releases at Tow Way Fuel Farm, which will be implemented under the proposed Consent Order, discussed below.
SWMU 10 (Transformer Substation 2) - Extensive excavation of PCB contaminated soils was implemented in 1994.
SWMU 45 (outside areas at the Old Thermo-electric Power Plant):
- Extensive excavation of PCB contaminated soils was implemented in 1994, and
- Removal of contents (oily sludge, water, and possible free product, all possibly PCB contaminated) from two large (50,000 gallon) underground fuel tanks and three concrete cooling water tunnels leading to/from the bay/ocean, followed by cleaning and sealing of them was implemented in 1996.

Cleanup of the Entire Site

A total 83 "sites" have been identified at NAPR (formerly Naval Station Roosevelt Roads), which require assessments and/or investigations under the corrective action authorities of RCRA. These include 77 solid waste management units (SWMUs) and six "areas of concern" (AOCs). These SWMUs and AOCs were identified based on the 1988 RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) performed for EPA; the 1993 "Follow-up" Visual Site Inspection (Follow-up VSI) also performed for EPA; and the 2005 Phase I/II Environmental Conditions of Property (ECP) Report prepared for the U.S. Navy in conjunction with closure and planned sale/transfer of the facility.

Cleanup Status

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to enter into an Administrative Order on Consent (Consent Order) with the United States Department of the Navy (the Navy). The proposed Consent Order is intended to set out the Navy's obligations for completing the cleanup of this large, closed military base, pursuant to the authority of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA"). EPA is soliciting public comments on that proposed Consent Order.

Permit Status

The Consent Order is planned to replace the 1994 RCRA Permit as the document memorializing these obligations concerning the Naval Activity Puerto Rico (formerly Naval Station Roosevelt Roads) base.

Site Repository

Copies of supporting technical documents and correspondence cited in the site fact sheet are available for public review at the following location:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2
RCRA Records Center
290 Broadway, 15th Floor, Rm 1538
New York, NY 10007-1866
Tel. (212)637-3043

Public Notice of EPA's proposal to set out Navy's obligations for completing the cleanup at Military Base at Naval Activity - Published September 12, 2006.
Administrative Order on Consent (Consent Order) between EPA and The Department of the Navy. [PDF 163.4 KB, 62 pp]
Fact sheet on proposed Consent Order
- English [PDF 86.8 KB, 6 pp]
- Español [PDF 85.2 KB, 6 pp]
Response to public comments on RCRA 7003 Administrative Order on Consent - December 5, 2006
- English [PDF 34.8 KB, 4 pp]
- Spanish [PDF 24.5 KB, 4 pp]
Press release; EPA and Navy Reach Landmark Agreement on the Cleanup of Former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads Base - Release date: January 26, 2007.

The inspection of some of the documents cited in the site fact sheet may require a formal request under the United States Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).