EPA v. ALLEGHENY BALLISTIC LABORATORY

Case summary

Sites 11 and 12 are adjacent to each other with similar groundwater contamination and hydrogeologic characteristics; thus, the sites were combined into one ROD. Site 11 consists of a former boiler house, a former diked fuel storage area, and a former deep bedrock well, known as ?F Well?. This ROD addresses groundwater contamination associated with the former F-Well, a non-operational well that was not properly abandoned until the remedial investigation from 1998-2001. Previous actions have addressed contamination associated with the former diked fuel storage area. Site 12 consists of Building 167, which was primarily used for the preparation of rocket casings. The two main sources of contamination at Site 12 are the former unlined wastewater sump (SWMU 37N) and the plating tank (SWMU 52.) Past removal actions at Site 12 include the removal of the former sump and excavation and disposal of contaminated soils. The primary COCs at both sites consist of VOCs and metals. The ROD selects 1) Enhanced Anaerobic Biodegradation focusing on the areas of high concentrations of VOCs; 2) Monitored Natural Attenuation; 3) Long-term groundwater monitoring; and 4) Institutional controls to prevent the potable use of groundwater at Sites 11 and 12 and to restrict construction activities at Site 11. OU-4 THIS ACTION IS INTENDED TO BE IN AN INTERIM ACTION THAT WILL FEED INTO THE LONG TERM REMEDIAL STRATEGY FOR SITE 1 SOILS. THREE PITS (FDPs 1, 2 AND 3) WERE USED FOR HISTORICAL DISPOSAL OF SPENT ACIDS AND SOLVENTS, WITH TCE BEING THE PRIMARY SOLVENT. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT THE PEAK OF USE (1970-1978) 1,000 POUNDS OF TCE PER MONTH WERE DISPOSED OF IN THE PIT(S). THE NAVY PLANS TO EXCAVATE USING THE PIT BOUNDARIES AS THE HORIZONTAL EXTENT AND THE WATER TABLE AS THE VERTICAL EXTENT. EXCAVATED MATERIALS WILL BE DISPOSED OF OFF-SITE. The Recoed of Decision for OU-04 (Site 1) addresses two geographical areas - the Active Buring Ground (ABG) and the Outside Active Buring Ground (OABG). The Site COCs for the ABG and OABG consist of VOCs, SVOCs, dioxins, explosives and metals in soil. The selected rememdy is excavation and offsite disposal of contaminated soils. On August 29, 2019, EPA signed an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) for the chlorinated volatile organic compound (VOC) pump and treatment remedy at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) NPL Site in Rocket Center, WV. The primary contaminants of concern are tetrachloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE). The Land Use Controls (LUC) in the 2005 ROD prohibit extraction of groundwater within the LUC boundary. In 2016, during a vapor intrusion investigation, the Navy discovered that a building sump was extracting groundwater within the ROD LUC boundary and discharging it, untreated, to a nearby surface drainage area. The purpose of this ESD is to document this deviation from the ROD. The ESD also contains supporting information to show that while there is a small deviation from the 2005 ROD, the location of the sump, relative to the plume, results in a discharge that does not pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment. This ESD meets Region 3's federal facility mission measure target for the month of August.

Defendants (1)

• US DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• ALLEGANY BALLISTICS LABORATORY

  210 STATE ROUTE 956, KEYSER, WV, 26726

  Registry ID: 110000345010

• ALLEGANY BALLISTICS LABORATORY

  210 STATE ROUTE 956, KEYSER, WV, 26726

  Registry ID: 110000345010

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 106A — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order
• CERCLA 120E — Federal Facility Interagency Agreement

Enforcement conclusions (8)

• ALLEGHENY BALLISTIC LABORATORY (OU5 Site 10 GW ESD)entered 2019-08-29

  Primary law: CERCLA

• Allegheny Ballistics Lab -OU14entered 2007-11-16

  Primary law: CERCLA

• ALLEGHENY BALLISTIC LABORATORY OU-04entered 2014-09-22

  Primary law: CERCLA

• Allegheny Ballistics Labortory (FF) -Site 11/12 (OU-8 and 11)entered 2012-01-04

  Primary law: CERCLA

• ALLEGHENY BALLISTIC LABORATORY (OU4)entered 2012-09-17

  Primary law: CERCLA

• Allegheny Ballistics Lab - OU11entered 2007-07-18

  Primary law: CERCLA

• Allegheny Ballistics Lab -OU-13entered 2007-07-18

  Primary law: CERCLA

• Allegany Ballistics Lab - OU2entered 2006-02-09

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 1995-09-27Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1998-01-14Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2019-08-29Final Order Issued