Hazardous Waste Cleanup: U.S. Army in Fort Dix, New Jersey

Site Facts

EPA ID: NJ4213720275
Location: Regional Directorate of Public Works, Fort Dix, New Jersey 08640  

Property Area: 31,000 acres

Other Names: U.S. Army Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst

Cleanup Status: Corrective Action Underway

Human Exposure under Control:

Yes, Controlled

Groundwater under Control:

Yes, Controlled

Last Updated: June 2009

On this page:

  • Cleanup Status
  • Site Description
  • Contaminants at this Facility
  • Site Responsibility

Cleanup Status

Site characterization and remediation at Fort Dix is being conducted through the Army's Installation Restoration Program under New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) oversight. The Fort Dix Sanitary Landfill was closed in 1984 and placed on the EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987; the Record of Decision (ROD) was signed in 1991.

The Army has completed work and has ongoing remediation in many areas of the installation, including soil and sediment excavation and off-site treatment/disposal; wetlands restoration; in-place treatment of soil and groundwater; capping; fencing; installation of signs; long term monitoring of groundwater, surface water and sediment; and restrictions on land and water use. Operation, maintenance, and evaluation of the existing cleanup measures will continue. Implementation of cleanup actions in additional areas is planned.

Additional Site Information

Site Description

Fort Dix was developed from farmland and forest in 1917 and has been used as a cantonment area, training post, and demobilization center. The current mission of the installation is to provide training for reserve and National Guard units under the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC). The installation is encompasses approximately 31,000 acres of land in Burlington and Ocean Counties, New Jersey. Fort Dix is located within the New Jersey Pinelands Nature Reserve and is bordered by McGuire Air Force Base, forest management areas, agricultural land, and low-density residential housing. 

Contaminants at this Facility

Contamination at the site has resulted from various former operations, including landfills, disposal areas, storage tanks, test areas, and spills. Soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater contain contaminants such as volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals. Shallow ground water discharges to Crosswicks Creek, Rancocas Creek, and minor tributaries. 

Site Responsibility at this Facility

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 2.

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Last updated on June 21, 2024