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Anniston Army Depot
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: AL3210020027Location: Anniston, Calhoun County, AL
Lat/Long: 33.659430, -085.969430
Congressional District: 03
NPL Status: Proposed: 10/15/84; Final: 03/13/89
Affected Media: Ground water, Soil
Cleanup Status: Physical cleanup activities have started
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Active military facility
Site Manager: Patricia Goldberg (goldberg.patricia@epa.gov)
Site Background
The Anniston Army Depot site encompasses 15,200 acres and is located in Calhoun County, Alabama. The City of Anniston is located 10 miles east of the Depot. The northern boundary of the Depot is the Pelham Range portion of the Fort McClellan Military Reservation. The ammunition storage area occupies more than 13,000 acres, covering the entire central and northern portions of the Depot. The Southeastern Industrial Area (SIA) covers 600 acres and is an active industrial operation area. It contains more than 50 buildings and a vehicle test track. Facilities and operations in the SIA support the installation's missions of munitions storage and the refurbishment, testing, and decommissioning of combat vehicles and various types of ordnance.
Approximately 3,400 people work at the Depot. Access is controlled at the perimeter by fences and guards posted at entry points. Land use surrounding the base is primarily residential, with approximately 39,000 residents living near the facility. Surface water within the SIA drains into Dry Creek, which flows into Choccolocco Creek, a tributary of the Coosa River. Coldwater Spring is located adjacent to Dry Creek, approximately one mile south of the Depot boundary. The spring is the primary source of drinking water for Calhoun County. Currently, water is supplied to the Depot by pipeline from Anniston Water Works and Sewer Board.
Wastes generated at the Depot were disposed in trenches, lagoons, landfills, or other holding vessels from the 1940s through the late 1970s. The majority of waste was generated within the SIA. The SIA was placed on the National Priorities List in 1989. A 1990 Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) integrated the Army's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and CERCLA requirements for the entire Depot.Threats and Contaminants
Solid and liquid wastes generated from past activities have included metals, cyanide, phenols, pesticides, herbicides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, acids, chelating agents, asbestos, and creosote. Contaminants of concern have been identified in both soil and ground water, including lead, thallium, antimony, and chromium.
As part of an ongoing SIA ground water investigation, the Army has completed a private well inventory to identify well owners whose wells supply a primary drinking water source. One private well adjacent to the SIA, that used to supply a commercial catfish pond, revealed volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination well above safe drinking water standards. The Army purchased the catfish pond property in 2007. Additionally, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has issued a health consultation concluding that no adverse health effects are expected due to consumption of the fish from the former ponds.
Site Cleanup Plan
Due to the size and complexity of the site, EPA identified multiple operable units (OUs). Currently these include the following: OU-1 (SIA ground water); OU-2 (SIA soil); OU-3 (Ammunition Storage Area); OU-4 (Military Munitions Response Program); and OU-5 (Western Industrial Area).
An Interim Record of Decision (ROD) was issued in 1991 describing a cleanup approach for OU-1 (SIA ground water). Major components of the cleanup approach included:- Ground water withdrawal.
- Treatment of the ground water for volatile organics and phenolics with discharge to the surface.
- Continued operation and improvement of a ground water treatment system already in place at Building 114.
The OU-1 ground water cleanup approach will be amended in 2009. Alternatives for a final OU-1 ground water cleanup approach are being evaluated
A ROD for OU-2 (SIA soil) was issued in 2008. Major components of the cleanup approach included:- No further action in OU-2 areas where no unacceptable ecological or human health risks were identified for current and anticipated future land use scenarios.
- Implementation of land use controls in OU-2 areas where residential risks were identified.
- Excavation and/or capping of soil in OU-2 areas where industrial and/or ecological risks are present.
A ROD for OU-3 (Ammunition Storage Area) was issued in 2006. Major components of the cleanup approach included:
- No further action/no action is being taken in OU-3 areas where no potential risks were identified.
- Excavation and treatment of contaminated soils and implementation of land use controls (LUCs) in OU-3 areas where soil risks were identified.
- Use of natural processes to reduce concentrations of contaminants in ground water (monitored natural attenuation) and implementation of LUCs in OU-3 areas where risks in ground water were identified.
RODs for OU-4 (Military Munitions Response Program) and OU-5 (Western Industrial Area) are scheduled for future completion.
Clean-up Progress
Under the FFA, the Army has initiated a number of RCRA and CERCLA response actions that address contamination and disposal issues throughout the Depot. These actions encompass a variety of measures, including ground water pump and treatment, soil removal and disposal, on-site chemical oxidation of contaminated soil, and emergency response planning for off-post ground water contamination.
Ongoing measures to address contaminated ground water include operation of an upgraded ground water interception system on site, and operation of an air-stripping treatment system at the Krebs Water Treatment Plant.
The Department of Defense is leading site cleanup activities with oversight by EPA.
Enforcement Activities
The Army signed a three-party FFA with EPA Region 4 and Alabama Department of Environmental Management in June 1990. The FFA is intended to ensure that the environmental impacts associated with past and present activities at the Depot are investigated thoroughly and that appropriate remedial/corrective actions are developed and implemented to protect the public health and welfare and the environment.
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the Anniston Army Depot site 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 OU-1 (SIA Ground Water) cleanup approach will be amended in 2009.
RODs for OU-4 (Military Munitions Response Program) and OU-5 (Western Industrial Area) are scheduled for future completion.
Ground water treatment and investigation is ongoing.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.
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.