U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal

• Site Profile
• Additional Site Documents including Five Year Reviews, Records of Decisions (ROD) and Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD).

Site Background:
The Installation Restoration Program at Redstone Arsenal consists of over 238 active IRP sites which are split between surface media sites and groundwater sites.  The 225 surface media sites are divided into 20 operable units.  Thirteen (13) groundwater investigation areas have also been established to address extensive contamination in the complex Karst geology of the region. Contaminants of concern include solvents, metals, pesticides, chemical warfare materiel, and hazardous remnants from rocket fuel research, development and testing, including perchlorate. These contaminants have impacted groundwater, soil, sediments, and surface waters. Land use surrounding the 38,000 acre post is primarily residential and commercial, with the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge located to the south along the Tennessee River. The Redstone NPL listing includes the 1,800 acre Marshall Space Flight Center operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  

The Environmental Management program at Marshall Space Flight Center consists of 74 sites organized into 9 operable units, including a facility-wide groundwater operable unit.  The Army and NASA cleanup programs are separately funded and operated, with the Army and NASA coordinating on common programmatic needs such as data sharing, and technical issues including groundwater, unexploded ordnance, and chemical warfare materiel contamination characterization and cleanup.

Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
Numerous studies and cleanup actions are underway at both facilities with oversight by EPA and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).  A 2001 Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) integrates NASA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, Liability Act (CERCLA)/Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) requirements for the Marshall Space Flight Center and provides for enforceable cleanup schedules.  Although finalized on the NPL in 1994, the Army investigation and cleanup activities at Redstone proceed in the absence of a Federal Facility Agreement with EPA and ADEM.  Both the Army and NASA have entered into Land Use Control Agreement Plans with EPA to ensure the future integrity and protectiveness of the cleanup actions.

The current focus of investigation by the Army and NASA is on groundwater contamination. 

Groundwater contaminated with solvents and perchlorate has migrated beyond the NPL facility boundaries underneath off-post residential communities located east of Redstone Arsenal. Groundwater is not used for drinking water (potable water) purposes.  At the Marshall Space Flight Center, several groundwater treatability studies are underway or proposed.

All 74 sites at Marshall Space Flight Center are actively being investigated. Of the 225  Army  media sites, 145  are actively being investigated.  In addition, CERCLA Site Assessment activities are on-going at Redstone; approximately one thousand (1,000) additional areas of potential concern have been identified and reviewed at Redstone through archival searches, aerial photograph reviews, and employee interviews. A similar Site Assessment initiative by Marshall Space Flight is targeted for completion in Fiscal Year 2008. 

Marshall Space Flight Center has three (3) Record of Decisions and Redstone Arsenal has seven (7) Records of Decisions (RODs).  Five (99, 11, 49, 57, 47, 2/87) of those RODs address surface media sites with one addressing site wide groundwater land use controls.  Numerous removal actions have also taken place at Redstone.