Hazardous Waste Cleanup: United States Army Garrison in Fort Belvoir, Virginia

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In September 2004, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) issued U.S. Army Garrison, Ft. Belvoir, Main Post (Main Post) a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Hazardous Waste Permit. The Permit required the Main Post to conduct RCRA Facility Investigations (RFIs) for possible releases of hazardous waste/constituents at any Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) and Areas of Concern (AOC) identified on the Main Post. Over 200 SWMUs and AOCs were identified at the Main Post.

Cleanup Status

Prior to the Permit, Ft. Belvoir closed many SWMUs under VADEQ oversight. Later, EPA reviewed the closures and concurred with the closure decisions, thereby removing 130 SWMUs and other units from further investigation. Ft. Belvoir has addressed almost all of the remaining SWMUs and AOCs through environmental investigations (soil, groundwater and landfill gas sampling) to delineate extent and types of contamination, if any, or by determining that either no further action or remediation was necessary.

Under the pending Permit renewal, less than 15 SWMUs with unaddressed contamination or potential contamination have been identified and are being investigated. VADEQ will issue the renewed Hazardous Waste Permit with Corrective Action in 2015.

SWMUs and AOCs include inactive landfills, storage areas, wastewater treatment plants and other areas where of past contaminant releases.

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Site Description

Interactive Map of the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir, Fort Belvoir, VA

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The U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Belvoir is located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, 14 miles south of Washington, D.C. The Main Post at Fort Belvoir is an 8,437-acre tract bordered by the Potomac River to the south and commercial and residential properties on all other sides. The Main Post is divided into North Post and South Post by US Route 1. The Main Post is currently a RCRA permitted facility. The RCRA permit for Hazardous Waste Storage and Corrective Action was last issued on September 23, 2004. A renewed permit will be issued to the Main Post by VADEQ in 2015.

Fort Belvoir, Main Post is a U.S. Department of Defense operated installation that provides essential administrative and basic operations to support and services to 90 tenants and satellite organizations.

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Contaminants at this Facility

Contaminants have been found in specific Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) in soil, groundwater and in one or two locations, sediment. Groundwater contamination is the primary media affected by previous chemical releases. Contaminants identified in groundwater primarily includes petroleum compounds and chlorinated solvents. Contamination to soil includes petroleum compounds, solvents, and metals. pPolychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) in soil were found in a few SWMUs. Soil with contamination exceeding EPA’s acceptable risk to human health has been excavated and removed and contaminated groundwater in limited areas is being actively treated. Human exposure to any remaining contamination is monitored and controlled by implementing Institutional Controls.

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

The Main Post is using Land Use Controls (LUCs) to prevent human exposures to any remaining contamination in soil, groundwater, landfills and other structures at the Facility. LUCs include restricting current and future land use to non-residential, prohibiting groundwater use as a drinking water source, and monitoring landfill gases and covers. The LUCs are incorporated into the Facility's Master Plan and geographical information system (GIS) layers. Ft. Belvoir reports to VADEQ and US EPA annually on implementation of the LUCs.

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Land Reuse Information at this Facility

The facility is under continued use.

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Site Responsiblity at this Facility

RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the EPA Region 3 with assistance from the VADEQ .

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