NEWS RELEASE 2005-05
February 8, 2005

Public Hearing Date Changed for Chemical Spill 19 Groundwater Plume

MASSACHUSETTS MILITARY RESERVATION, Cape Cod, Mass. — Officials from the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) announce that a public hearing initially scheduled for February 10, 2005 has been re-scheduled to February 15, 2005 due to an expected snow storm.  AFCEE officials will accept formal public comments on the CS-19 Proposed Plan for Interim Action (PPIA) at the public hearing.   The public comment period has been extended until February 16, 2005 to accommodate the date change of the public hearing.  The proposed work described in this document solely addresses an interim cleanup remedy of monitoring groundwater contamination.   Concurrently, a feasibility study is being conducted by the Army’s Impact Area Groundwater Study Program on the groundwater contamination in the Central Impact Area of which CS-19 is a part.  A final remedy for the groundwater contamination in the Central Impact Area, including the CS-19 groundwater plume, will be presented for public comment at a later date by the Army.  The formal public comment period on the CS-19 PPIA began on January 14, 2005 and will end on February 16, 2005. 

The contaminant of concern in the CS-19 groundwater plume is hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine, otherwise known as Royal Dutch Explosives (RDX).   The recommended interim action presented in the CS-19 PPIA for addressing RDX in groundwater is to continue monitoring of the plume.  The plume is within the boundaries of the MMR.  This short-term action will be protective of human health until a final cleanup plan is developed.  It will ensure that no one is exposed to RDX from drinking contaminated groundwater. 

Copies of the Draft CS-19 PPIA are available for review during the public comment period at the main libraries in Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, Mashpee, at the Installation Restoration Program Office and on the MMR website: www.mmr.org/pubcommentperiod.htm. 

Written comments may be submitted to:                          HQ AFCEE/MMR

                                                                                    Attn.: CS-19 Groundwater Plan

                                                                                    322 East Inner Road

                                                                                    Otis ANG Base, MA  02542-5028

By fax to:                                                                       (508) 968-4673

By electronic mail to:                                                  doug.karson@brooks.af.mil

By internet to:                                                                http://www.mmr.org

NOTE: Comments submitted before and/or after the formal comment period do not become part of the official record and will not be considered before an interim remedy is chosen. 

A public hearing will also be held to solicit formal public comments on the CS-19 PPIA on February 15, 2005. 

                                                Public Hearing:

                                                            February 15, 2005

                                                            6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

                                                            Bourne Best Western

                                                            100 Trowbridge Road, Bourne

For more information, please contact Mr. Douglas Karson, AFCEE/MMR Community Involvement Specialist, at (508) 968-4678, extension 2; Fax (508) 968-4673; or E-mail doug.karson@brooks.af.mil.