Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence Installation Restoration Program 1998 Year in Review

During the 1998 calendar year, the major cleanup activities in the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) involved: well drilling, pipeline installation, technical investigations and residential well sampling. In summary, 1998 efforts were focused on protection of public health, presentation of cleanup alternatives for several source areas and plumes, the startup of construction and cleanup systems, and significant community involvement activities.

• In 1998, 605 samples of private well water were taken in the four towns surrounding the base.

• No contaminants were detected above safe drinking water standards during the year.

• Samples were taken on a semi-annual, bi-weekly, and as-needed basis and analyzed for ethylene dibromide (EDB) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Ongoing Investigations

Several investigations were conducted on groundwater plumes, such as the Southwest Operable Unit and Fuel Spill (FS-1) and bog/river separation projects were undertaken during 1998. These investigations also included the following:

• 1,721 samples of surface water, sediments, and groundwater were collected and analyzed for potential contamination.
• 422 water level measurements were recorded.
• Data gap work was conducted for Chemical Spill (CS-10), Ashumet Valley and Storm Drain–5 South (SD-5S) groundwater plumes.

Southwest Operable Unit

Investigation continued in an area encompassing the southwest portion of the base and the off-base region beyond that, called the Southwest Operable Unit (SWOU):

• Groundwater plumes delineated in the SWOU study area are Chemical Spill (CS-4), Chemical Spill 20 (CS-20), Chemical Spill 21 (CS-21), Fuel Spill (FS-28) and Fuel Spill 29 (FS-29).
• A Proposed Plan describing the Air Force’s preferred method of treating FS-13, CS-4, CS-20 and CS-21was issued.
• A public comment period for the Proposed Plan is being held from June 17-August 16, 1999.
• The public comment period for the two other plumes, FS-28 and FS-29, is scheduled to begin in January 2000.

Bog/RiverSeparation Projects

EDB was found upwelling into cranberry bogs in both the Coonamessett and Quashnet Rivers in Falmouth and Mashpee in 1996 and 1997.

• The highest concentration of EDB found in groundwater was 7.7 parts per billion (ppb) in the Quashnet bog area.
• Treatment systems using deep and shallow groundwater extraction wells were installed to reduce potential health risk and eventually restore the bogs to production.

Ongoing Cleanup Activities

Fuel Spill 12 (FS-12):

• The extraction, treatment and reinjection (ETR) system treated 404.8 million gallons of contaminated water.
• The FS-12 system has removed 11.1 pounds of benzene and 60.4 pounds of EDB from contaminated groundwater since 1997.

Storm Drain 5 North (SD-5N):

• The ETR system has treated 184.3 million gallons of contaminated water since 1997.
• The treatment system removed 19.1 pounds of benzene, toluene, and xylene and 2.5 pounds of solvents during 1998.

Fuel Spill 28 (FS-28):

• Extraction Well-1 treated 315.4 million gallons of contaminated water.
• The extraction well has removed 2.1 pounds of EDB during the year.

Drilling Activities and Pipeline Installation

A total distance of 47,193 feet was drilled during 1998 and included the following activities:

• 229 boreholes were advanced and 322 wells and piezometers were installed.
• 5,500 feet of pipeline was installed consisting of 2,750 feet of single wall pipe and 2,750 feet of dual wall pipe.
• Two underground vaults were constructed for treatment operations in Mashpee neighborhoods.

• As a precaution, 5,275 gallons of bottled water were provided to 30 households in 1998.
• In Falmouth, five residences were connected to the town water supply.
• Also as a precaution, an agreement was signed with the Bourne Water District to connect approximately 20 homes to municipal water between Route 28 and Scraggy Neck in Cataumet.

• For the CS-10 groundwater plume, pilot studies of a "reactive wall" near the former BOMARC facility continued.
• An innovative recirculating well technology continued to be used at CS-10 during 1998.
• It is estimated that 89 pounds of trichloroethylene (TCE) were removed from the groundwater during 1998.

Community Involvement Program

The community involvement program continued to be very active in 1998 with the following activities accomplished:

• 93 public meetings
• 13 tours
• 14 speaking engagements
• 38 fact sheets
• 28 neighborhood flyers
• 58 news releases
• 10 public comment periods
• "A Community Guide to the IRP at the Massachusetts Military Reservation" was developed with the active assistance of the Public Information Team. It was widely distributed all over Cape Cod.

Web Site

The Massachusetts Military Reservation IRP web site had 336 documents added during the year. It was visited 27,082 times during 1998, primarily from corporate, education, military and government users. The MMR IRP web site address is: http://www.mmr.org.

Challenges for 1999

Goals for the immediate future are:

• To meet all enforceable milestones.
• To bring the cranberry bogs back into operation.
• To coordinate with the Natural Resource Trustee Council for potential damage assessments.
• To coordinate with the Joint Program Office on water supply issues.
• To continue extensive community involvement activities.
• To work within the budget.

IRP management will continue to refine concepts from decisions into design and construction. In addition, community concerns will be addressed in design and construction planning and implementation. Data gap sample collection and analysis will continue.

After extensive community involvement, decisions were made on how to cleanup specific sites and plumes. For further information, contact Doug Karson, Community Involvement Specialist, at 508-968-4678 x2.