Region 3: Mid-Atlantic Region Hazardous Site Cleanup Division Serving: Delaware, District of Columbia, , , , West

Virginia Recent Additions | Contact Us | Print Version Search: EPA Home > OSWER Home > Region 3 HSCD > Maryland Superfund Sites > USAF Andrews Air Force Base > Current Site Information Superfund Current Site Information (NPL Pad) Brownfields / Redevelopment USAF Andrews Air Force Base Initiatives EPA Region 3

Administrative Maryland EPA ID# MD0570024000 Last Update: November 22, 2002 Record Prince George’s County 2nd Congressional District Other Names: None Risk Assessment / Camp Springs RBC Tables

Resources / State Current Site Status Links EPA and Maryland Department of the Environmental (MDE), and Specialist Listing Prince George County Health Department (PGCHD) continue to work with the U.S. Air Force (AF) to investigate and clean up the site. Oil Pollution Members of the Air Force, MDE, PGCHD and EPA continue to meet to develop work plans, discuss and resolve technical issues to ensure Freedom of the cleanups are consistent with regulations and proceed in an Information Act expedited fashion. The Department of Defense (DoD) funded several Requests (FOIA) projects in October/November that were previously on hold because they were not funded.

Because the AF did not received access to adjacent property to conduct the remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) at Leroy's Lane Landfill, MDE pursued its legal options and has obtained access so it can conduct the RI/FS. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Air Force and MDE was signed in September 2002, which will reimburse MDE for the off site investigation. As a result, the project will be completed than expected. Site Description

Andrews Air Force Base (AAFB) is an active U.S. Department of Defense facility that occupies about 4,360 acres of land in Camp Springs, Prince George's County, Maryland, about 5 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. AAFB was established as the Camp Springs Army Air Field in 1942 and became AAFB in 1947. AAFB serves as the headquarters of the 89th Air Wing and is host to about 50 tenant units. AAFB supports worldwide airlift support operations for the President of the and other high-ranking domestic and foreign dignitaries, and supports the flight operations of more than 100 aircraft.

The five of the approximately 53 sources at AAFB evaluated in the documentation record include two fire training areas, a sludge disposal area, a landfill, and two contiguous landfills. These sources are located within the watershed of Piscataway Creek, which discharges into the beyond the 15-mile target distance limit.

Lead and numerous semi-volatile organic compounds have been detected historically at significantly elevated concentrations in Piscataway Creek. Lead was documented in Piscataway Creek at concentrations above the Ambient Water Quality Criteria in 1993. Surface water migration pathway targeted wetlands, a fishery in Piscataway Creek downstream of AAFB, migratory runs of anadromous fish, and an area of critical state concern.

Site Responsibility Cleanup of this site is the responsibility of the federal government. NPL Listing History This site was proposed to the National Priorities List of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites requiring long-term cleanup action on July 28, 1998. The site was formally added to the list May 10, 1999, making it eligible for federal cleanup funds. Threats and Contaminants

Investigations have revealed the presence of numerous hazardous substances on site. These substances include lead, mercury, chromium, and cadmium; volatile organic compounds, such as tetrachloroethylene; semi-volatile organic compounds, predominantly polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons such as acenaphthene, benzo(a)pyrene, and fluoranthene; and polychlorinated biphenyls.

Cleanup Progress

The Air Force (AF), EPA, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and Prince George County Health Department (PGCHD) in July 2001, identified 73 sites or areas of concern to be investigated under Superfund law. Of the 73 sites, the Air Force previously identified 24 sites or Areas of Concern (AOCs). The identification of sites to be studied is done prior to negotiating a federal facility agreement (FFA) with the Air Force.

The on base (on-site) remedial investigation (RI) at Leroy"s Lane Landfill (LF-05) began in January 2002. However, the AF could not get access from private property owners to conduct portions of the field investigation off base. The AF RI/FS is focused on the on base landfill. In September 2002, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Air Force and MDE was signed. The off base field investigation was delayed from April until late September when MDE was granted access to conduct the off base investigation. Off base field work by MDE's contractor began in October 2002. This has delayed and increased the cost of the RI/FS for the site.

EPA, MDE and PGCHD reviewed the final Comprehensive Environmental Investigation at ST-14 (Groundwater Contamination primarily TCE and Carbon Tetrachloride with several small petroleum plumes) in 2001. The addendum to the work plan to complete the remedial investigation (RI) for the site was received in late July 2002 and was accepted. The Department of Defense (DoD) recently funded the project in October 2002. The commingled groundwater contaminant plumes encompass approximately 65+-acres. The competency of the Calvert Formation a potential regional clay aquitard will be investigated further and well as the extent of the groundwater contamination along the southern portion of the plumes. Contaminants have migrated to Cabin Branch. However, sampling down stream has not detected the migration of contamination off base.

As of July 2002, EPA, MDE and PGCHD reviewed the work plans for the base-wide background study and a base-wide ecological risk assessment. The field work for the base-wide background investigation began and review of the draft report began in late November. The based-wide ecological risk assessment field work was funded as October 2002 and field work is expected to begin in early 2003.

In October/November, the AF, EPA, MDE, and PGCHD scoped several RI/FS work plans. The sites included landfills LF-06 and LF- 07, Spill Area (ST10) and Fire Training Area (FT04). The sites were not scoped until after DoD funded the projects in October 2002.

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager S. Andrew Sochanski 215-814-3370 [email protected]

Government Relations Michael Burke 410-267-5740 [email protected]

Remedial Project Manager Maryland Department of the Environment Mark Callaghan 410-631-3395 [email protected]

Price George County Health Department Division of Environmental Health Anne Williams, RS 301-883-7628