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USA Defense Depot Memphis

USA Defense Depot Memphis
EPA ID: TN4210020570
Location: Memphis, Shelby County, TN
Congressional District: 09
NPL Status: Proposed: 02/07/92; Final 10/14/92
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Site Background:
The Memphis Defense Depot comprises 642 acres in a mixed residential/commercial/industrial area of south-central Memphis. The site consists of two adjacent sections: Dunn Field (DF), an open storage and burial area of about 60 acres, and the Main Installation (MI). The Depot has been in operation since 1942, providing material support, including clothing, food, medical supplies, electronic equipment, petroleum products, and industrial chemicals to all U.S. military services. The Depot has conducted numerous operations utilizing hazardous substances with contamination resulting from leakage, spillage, disposal of out-of-date materials, and normal application of pesticides. In 1946, the Army disposed of leaking mustard bombs (chemical warfare agent) at Dunn Field. Among the wastes disposed of at the site are oil, grease, paint thinners, methyl bromide, pesticides and cleaning fluids (chlorinated solvents). Ground water beneath and down-gradient of Dunn Field is contaminated with moderate to high concentrations of chlorinated solvents and relatively low concentrations of heavy metals. An estimated 154,300 people obtain their drinking water from public water supply wells located within 4 miles of the site.

Community Involvement:
Defense Depot Memphis awarded the 2009 Environmental Restoration Award (Memphis TN, April, 21, 2009) The Office of the Secretary of Defense announced that Defense Depot Memphis Tennessee (DDMT) has been selected to receive the Secretary of Defense's 2009 Environmental Restoration award for outstanding work by an installation in DoD environmental programs. Mike Dobbs, the BRAC Environmental coordinator for DDMT, attributed the success of the cleanup efforts to the team involved in the restoration process. "This is a joint effort between the Defense Logistics Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, our environmental contractors and members of the community serving on the former depot's Restoration Advisory Board." Specific activities highlighted for the award include successful partnering. among the three parties to the Federal Facilities Agreement, that lead to beneficial changes to the Dunn Field Record of Decision (ROD). The changes resulted in more rapid and effective cleanup actions, as documented in the recent ROD amendment. For futher information, please contact Turpin Ballard.
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Cleanup Progress: Interim Remedial Action Constructed, Removal Actions Performed, Remedial Action Started for Main Installation,  Remedial Action Started at Dunn Field.

Construction of a barrier well system as an interim remedial action was competed in October, 1998, and extended in 2001.  The system has been in continuous operation since November, 1998.  Due to success of the source areas remedial action in reducing ground water contamination to date, several wells have been shut down and the remainder may be shut down as early as 2009, depending on ground water sampling results.

Removal actions between 1998 and 2001 excavated several areas of contaminated soil at the Main Installation and Dunn Field.  One area was subsequently transferred for use as transitional housing for homeless veterans.  A removal action to address chemical warfare materials at Dunn Field was completed in May of 2001.  The Record of Decision (ROD) for the Main Installation was finalized on 9/6/01.  It requires ground water treatment for chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) and land use controls.  A treatability study for ground water was completed in first quarter 2004 and remedial action began in May 2006.  DoD has begun a search for any residual sources of soil contamination that might be preventing the remedial action in ground water from being as effective as had been anticipated.  DoD is also planning some enhancements (bio-augmentation) to the ground water treatment to speed up the degradation reactions. Land use controls are in place for all remedial actions.

The final ROD for Dunn Field was signed on 4/12/04.  The ROD calls for excavation and off-site disposal of the contents of pits and burial trenches, soil vapor extraction of principal threat waste in the unsaturated subsurface soils, and treatment of CVOCs in ground water underneath Dunn field with an innovative application of zero-valent iron (ZVI).  It also calls for installation of a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) using ZVI to address high concentrations of contaminated ground water down-gradient of Dunn Field, and natural attenuation to address the portion of the plume that will remain down-gradient of both active treatment zones.  A revised proposed plan and ROD amendment are planned in 2008/2009, which will document changes in the methods of soil and ground water treatment to achieve the remedial action objectives of the original ROD.

Excavation of the burial pits was completed in March 2006. The completion report was approved in August 2006.  Remedial design activities resulted in several changes in approach to the remedy that are to be documented as discussed above.  Soil vapor extraction began operating in the VOC-contaminated sand and gravel layer beneath source areas in July 2007.  In-situ thermal desorption (ISTD) began operating in the VOC-contaminated silty clay zone (top 30 feet) in May 2008.  Combined total VOC removals for all remedies to date (soil and ground water) are approximately 9,000 pounds.  The ISTD system is planned to complete operation in late FY2008 or early FY2009, followed by confirmation sampling to determine if cleanup levels have been achieved.

For information about the contents of this page please contact Donna Bledsoe

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