United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Federal Facilities
Restoration and Reuse Office
(5101)
EPA505-B-98-002
October 1998
www.epa.gov/swerffrr/
'n Progress
EPA Update on Federal Facility Cleanup and Reuse
Communities are involv*
in federal facility transfei
From the Director
by Jim Woolford, Director ofFFRRO
FromTheDirector
elcome to the inaugural issue of Partners In Progress. This
update relates key happenings in the Federal Facilities
Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO) and shares with you
the efforts and accomplishments ofFFRRO partnerships.
The federal government faces a tremendous task in cleaning up the environment. A 1995 report
on contamination identified more than 60,000 potential sites, with a projected price tag of $250
billion. When people consider FFRRO and its participation in environmental cleanup projects, they
tend to associate us solely with the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAG) program. While this
initiative, started by President Clinton and undertaken with the support of the U.S. Department of
Defense (DoD), is significant, it is only one of our many programs.
Early Transfer Guidance Speeds Redevelopment
EPA's Chris Cora tel
activities at Adak.
Wurtsmith Air Force Base
is a model for community
BreakingNews
by Renee Wynn, Associate
Director ofFFRRO
New EPA guidance is
paving the way for faster
reuse and development of
closed federal properties.
Before this new guidance,
which implements a recent statutory change in
the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA),
contaminated property had to undergo a
complete cleanup before it could be transferred.
Consequently, transfers often took years to
execute, delaying restoration and reuse plans.
Now, communities are reaping the benefits of
new businesses, jobs, and recreational facilities,
as well as stronger economies, as a result of faster
transfer.
The Early Transfer Guidance applies to those
sites on which hazardous waste was released or
disposed of or where hazardous waste was stored
for more than one year. It enables federal
agencies to transfer contaminated properties to
new owners after they have made certain
assurances to EPA regarding treatment, use, and
access to the site. With such assurances, EPA can
fulfill its responsibility to protect human health
and the surrounding environment.
Early Transfer Requirements
Before a federal agency can transfer property to
a new owner through this quicker process, it
must submit to EPA a covenant deferral request.
The request must include a detailed description
of the contamination on the property and how it
Federal Cleanups That Put Citizens First
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From the Director
Acronyms
Explained
AFBCA Air Force Base Conversion Agency
BCT BRAG Cleanup Team
BRAG Base Realignment and Closure
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act
DoD U.S. Department of Defense
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
EPA U.S. Environmental Protecti< "
FFERDC Federal Facilities Environmenta
Restoration Dialogue Committee
FFRRO Federal Facilities Restoration and Reu§
Office
NPL National Priorities List
RAB Restoration Advisory Board
SSAB Site-Specific Advisory Board
UXO Unexploded Ordnance
w
e at FFRRO are excited about
Partners In Progress and its potential
to help stakeholders share vital
information. We encourage you to
write articles and announcements for
upcoming issues. Whether you are a participant on
a Restoration Advisory Board (RAB), a member of a
BRAG Cleanup Team (BCT), a concerned citizen, or
a DOE project manager, we want to hear from you!
This informational publication is designed to
give you a voice on issues pertaining to the
cleanup and reuse of federal facilities. Please
share with our readers—your colleagues and
constituents—your successes, challenges, and
fresh perspectives.
Partners In Progress will be released on a
quarterly basis to about 2,000 readers across the
country. Our mailing list currently includes EPA,
DoD, and DOE personnel; members of RABs and
SSABs; concerned citizens; and tribal parties. We
hope to reach an even greater audience by posting
Partners In Progress on FFRRO's Internet home
page.
If there is a topic that you would like us to report
on, please let us know. We also welcome your
input and ideas for improvement.
Debby Leblang
Outreach and Communications Coordinator
Phone: 202 260-8302
E-mail: leblang.deborah@epa.gov
In addition to BRAG, we promote stakeholder involvement
at federal facility sites through several initiatives. Marsha
Minter's column, "The Community Connection," describes
some of our new activities. We also are working closely with our
regional offices, other federal agencies, states, tribes, and private
entities that impact federal facilities.
Cleanup activity at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites
commands much of our attention. Few people realize DOE's
annual budget for environmental management is almost equivalent
to EPA's entire budget. Several EPA offices, in addition to FFRRO,
work on DOE cleanup activities in order to provide a regulatory
context.
FFRRO is extensively involved in Superfund reauthorization
and environmental legislation proposed by other federal
departments and agencies. We oversee important developments
at individual federal facility sites, such as the deployment of
innovative technologies and the filing of lawsuits by states or
other parties. We also work with and seek input from site-
specific advisory boards (SSABs), which help determine the
cleanup remedies chosen at a particular site.
We are becoming more involved at federal facilities not
included on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), too.
More than 9,000 DoD sites, for example, are not on the NPL,
but may require cleanup. Our office and our regions work very
closely with states and the Association of State and Territorial
Solid Waste Management Officials at such sites.
Many of the contamination challenges we address occurred
as a result of the Cold War. Although the Cold War is over, its
environmental legacy will take decades, if not centuries, to
overcome. It extends beyond the environment, impacting the
health and well being of a number of host communities, Native
Americans, and environmental justice communities. It is
FFRRO's mission to help the federal government meet its
responsibilities to these people.
Partners In Progress will convey relevant information, present
thought-provoking commentary, and highlight federal facility
issues. While there can be a tendency in informational updates to
focus on the programs that produce them, we intend also to
showcase the achievements of our regional counterparts, like
Chris Cora in Region 10, who is working on a base closure in
Alaska (page 4). Their excellent work is responsible for much of
the programs success. We also will include articles and
commentary from other EPA offices, federal agencies, tribes, local
governments, states, and public stakeholders. Although the
various contributors might not always agree on issues, we all
share the common goal of cleaning up contamination to make
federal facilities safe for present and future generations. In the
spirit of partnership, we hope to make Partners In Progress a true
community effort.
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for Action: A
Community Involvement
for
TheCommunity
Connection
by Marsha Minter, FFRRO Community
Involvement National Program Manager
Welcome to The Community
Connection! This column will share
successes, challenges, tips, and news
flashes on community involvement
activities at federal facilities. This issue describes FFRRO's
Stakeholder Involvement Blueprint for Action, the foundation of
FFRRO's activities to reach out to you—our stakeholders.
FFRRO's Blueprint for Action, a comprehensive strategy for
increasing stakeholder involvement in our shared activities, has
four key objectives:
• Foster the federal facilities environmental restoration dialogue
• Promote partnerships
• Endorse environmental justice
• Strengthen stakeholder networks
We are working to meet these objectives through a variety
of avenues including regional coordination, training seminars,
partnerships, research projects, and technical and financial
assistance. Described here are a few ways FFRRO works to
implement the Blueprint for Action.
The Community Connection Reflection:
inherited the Earth from our parents but have
borrowed it from our children."
—Billy Arjan Singh
First, EPA established a forum, the Federal Facilities
Environmental Restoration Dialogue Committee (FFERDC),
to create consensus goals for future cleanup. The committee
was composed of a diverse cross section of stakeholders.
Through dedication and tireless effort, they produced a set of
principles and recommendations used to tackle the enormous
challenges of contamination at federal facilities. The principles
underscore the importance of partnerships with federal agencies,
local governments, communities, and other stakeholders when
addressing critical concerns such as
community involvement, funding,
priority-setting, and capacity-building.
At the local level, we work with
DoD and DOE to establish RABs and
SSABs, advisory boards that help
agencies involved with cleanup make
critical decisions about the process.
Input from these groups has been
instrumental in making response
decisions and, in some cases, reducing
costs and accelerating cleanups. We
coordinate with DoD and DOE to
ensure membership balance and
diversity on these boards.
We also are working to ensure that
cleanup decisions and priorities reflect
a broad spectrum of stakeholder input. To strengthen
stakeholder involvement in affected communities, agencies
conducting and overseeing cleanup and related public health
activities must focus more on environmental justice.
Historically, indigenous peoples, low-income communities,
and minorities have not been adequately involved in decision-
making and priority-setting at federal facilities.
To help ensure meaningful participation by various
stakeholders, we have awarded grants to representatives from
state and local governments, indigenous organizations,
environmental justice groups, and academic institutions. The
grants expand awareness of environmental restoration activities
at the local level and provide an opportunity for community
participation. FFRRO grants support training for impacted
communities, participation of citizens on advisory boards, access
to vital information, and implementation of the FFERDC
principles.
Although the Blueprint for Action provides a foundation,
stakeholder involvement is always evolving. If you have
questions or comments on this or other community issues,
please call me at 202 260-6626 or e-mail me at
.
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Cora Finds Challenge in Adak
FromTheField
To learn about the daily challenges faced by
an EPA Remedial Project Manager, Partners
In Progress interviewed Chris Cora, of EPA
Region 10 (encompassing Alaska, Idaho,
Oregon, and Washington).
Q: What does your position entail?
A: To give you a brief synopsis, I implement CERCLA, also
known as Superfund, for EPA. I help facilitate cleanup at federal
sites as well as private sites on the NPL.
This position provides a platform for a diverse range of
responsibilities and goals. I have the opportunity to work with all
environmental media. I also get a chance to interact with people
representing different organizations and interests, including
federal agencies, nonprofit groups, private industry, and
communities. The job requires interpersonal skills and tact.
There is no textbook outcome in these projects; it's all site-
specific.
Q: What project are you working on now?
A: I'm working on the base closure of Adak Naval Air Facility.
Adak is an island in the Aleutian chain, roughly 1,300 miles
southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The island has served as a
strategic military base since WWII for both the Army and the
Navy. It's also one of few sites in the United States that has
actually seen combat during this century—U.S. military
personnel drove Japanese troops from the Aleutian Islands during
WWII. Now, the island is also a maritime refuge for fish and
wildlife.
Q: How is this project different from others you
have worked on?
A: Adak is a unique site. It is extremely isolated, given the distance
from the mainland. There is no civilian community or municipal
government on Adak. What's more, the site contains unexploded
ordinance (UXO). A native organization, the Aleut Corporation,
would like to take over the site and establish a fishing village and
related industries. If that happens, this would be the first UXO site
lacking a municipal government that would be transferred to a
corporation. Moreover, the transfer would give private citizens
access to property contaminated with UXO.
Q: What threat does UXO pose on Adak?
A: UXO poses an acute risk. If you come in contact with a
grenade, for instance, you could be killed or seriously injured.
The Navy imposed strict regulations on military personnel, thus
preventing any accidents with UXO. Those same controls would
be difficult to impose on a civilian community, particularly
where there is no municipal government.
Q: How is UXO influencing the reuse plans of
this base?
A: That's the dilemma we're facing now. The RAB, made up of
representatives of all Adak stakeholders, needs to determine the
best course of action. We have to consider all the implications. On
one hand, the Adak base is a complete town with housing for
6,000 people, schools, a hospital, shops, and a bowling alley. It's
an ideal site for reuse in many ways. But without cleanup, the
human risk is enormous. Unfortunately, the price tag for
remediation is enormous as well.
We're really between a rock and a hard place. It's up to the
decision-makers—the Navy, EPA, and the state—to determine
whether they want to clear the island of UXO, allow reuse without
clearance, or refuse to transfer the island. If transfer occurs, it will
require a long-term commitment by the Aleut Corporation to
enforce restriction of access to UXO areas.
Q: What exactly is EPA's role in the closure of
these bases?
A: It can vary from site to site, but mainly EPA provides
recommendations for cleanup, develops risk assessments
regarding contaminants and other environmental factors, and
evaluates cleanup activities. Because Adak is an NPL site, EPA
must ensure that the decisions made satisfy the primary criteria
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CL.I
Field
Field
of CERCLA. Additionally, EPA approves the transfer of all
property contingent upon completion of remedial action. If all
goes well, as is frequently the case, our role can be very limited.
Basically, we're there to facilitate, moderate, advise, and assist in
document review.
Q: How do you feel your work will impact
future base closings?
A: Determining how to handle the reuse of Adak could have
national implications. Though this is the first time we've really
addressed a potential transfer at a base with UXO, we'll definitely
be seeing this situation more often. Almost every military facility
has developed, tested, or stored some sort of ordnance and
munitions. Determining acceptable risks for reuse and the most
cost-effective solutions is not an easy process. There are no
precedents. That's exciting, but very challenging. Everyone on the
RAB has an opinion of how this situation should be handled.
Q: How is the government getting involved in
UXO cleanup?
A: DoD requested that the Defense Science Board study
UXO remediation and other cleanup and disposal processes
in which ordnance of any sort is concerned. In addition, the
Range Rule, a DoD measure currently in development,
proposes a new investigation, evaluation, and procedure for
clearing UXO that will help in future cases, but does not
aid in determining Adak's future. On a more regional level,
I briefed Senator Ted Stevens's staff in June on issues facing
Adak. He wants to find a satisfactory solution for Adak and
has supported higher appropriations for the Navy's cleanup
efforts.
Q: What other cleanup activities are taking
place at Adak?
A: The rest of the cleanup process is going very well.
The Navy has been very proactive in addressing heavily
contaminated sites within the base. It has capped all the
landfills and completed numerous cleanups of
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The Navy also is
working to contain asbestos in many buildings. The state of
Alaska has been instrumental in cleaning up various types
of fuel spills, which comprise a good 80 percent of
Adak's pollution problems.
Adak
Q: What do you see for Adak's future?
A: I really can't say at this point. There are still
many issues to discuss and consider. Everything
has gone really well in terms of cooperation and
commitment. Ultimately, I believe we will do
what's best for the environment and all
concerned.
To learn more about Adak, visit these Web sites:
www.adakisland.com
www.fas.orglirploverheadlnsg_adak.htm
www.navy.millhomepageslnavfacjeslmapsl
ADAK/adaknp.htm
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Celebrating
Success
One of FFRRO's primary
responsibilities, in cooperation with its
regional offices, is to help DoD achieve
the goals of President Clinton's Fast-
Track Cleanup Program. The program
accelerates the cleanup of closed
military bases and speeds the economic
recovery of communities affected by
those closings. This column showcases
cleanup and reuse accomplishments.
Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan
Wurtsmith Air Force Base, located on more than 5,000 acres
in northeast Michigan, stood ready for more than 70 years to
support strategic bombing operations worldwide. In this
capacity, the base managed supplies of aircraft fuel, mechanical
cleansers, solvents, and paints, some of which leaked into the
soil and subsequently the groundwater. Contaminants found
included trichloroethylene; 1,1-dichloro-ethane;
1,1,1-trichloroethane; vinyl chloride; benzene; toluene;
ethylbenzene; and xylene.
The decision to close the base was made in 1993. A BCT,
consisting of representatives of EPA, the Air Force, and the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality was then
formed to clean up the site. In an effort to expedite cleanup
and minimize cost, an innovative technology, in situ
enhanced bioremediation, was implemented to treat the
contaminated groundwater. Using this innovative technology,
the BCT shaved more than $500,000 and four years off the
original cleanup estimate of $1.5 million and 10 years.
To enhance economic redevelopment, the BCT focused its
attention on reuse options for the base. Working with the
Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency, the BCT
enabled approximately 150 low-income families to move into
base structures, which replaced substandard housing in six
counties. The BCT earned national recognition for this
unique reuse plan.
Additional reuse options for the base were determined and
implemented. A portion of the base property was leased to
companies that brought more than 1,000 jobs to the area,
helping to boost the community's economy. Another reuse
accomplishment that saved both time and money was the
transfer of airport runways for immediate public use to the
Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Authority.
Thanks to these partnerships and the combined effort to
protect human health and the environment, the Wurtsmith
facility continues to be a source of pride and benefit to the
community it serves.
If you would like Partners In Progress to report on a success you
have observed or participated in, please call Debby Leblang at
202 260-8302 or e-mail her at .
CyberNews www.epa.gov/swerffrr
Looking for a point of contact at
FFRRO? Check out FFRRO's home
page which features a calendar of
upcoming events, along with an
impressive collection of online
documents covering base closure,
innovative technologies, and laws and
regulations. The home page currently showcases BRAG
success stories at installations across the country,
spotlighting achievements in community involvement and
innovative technology applications.
www.denix.osd.mil
The DENIX (Defense Environmental Network &
Information exchange) site provides up-to-date
information regarding environmental compliance,
restoration, and cleanup. The site is divided into four
sections: DoD, State, International, and Public. All publicly-
available information can be obtained from the Public
menu. Access is restricted on the other sites, but a
password can be obtained after meeting certain
registration requirements.
If you would like Partners in Progress to highlight your
organization's home page, please e-mail Debby Leblang
at .
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Early Transfer Guidance
will be cleaned up. To ensure that groups affected by the
transaction are fully informed, the agency applying for early
transfer must submit copies of its request to the RAB; SSAB;
surrounding community; and affected local, tribal, or state
government. The agency also must:
• Publicize plans for the property transfer in the local
newspaper of the site's neighboring community and allow
for public comment.
• Ensure the transfer will not delay any mandatory cleanup
actions.
• Provide a contact name and number in case any
additional information is needed.
EPA reviews the covenant deferral request, as well as
input from the affected groups, to determine if the property
qualifies for early transfer under the new guidance. If it does,
EPA works with the current and future owners to draft a
transfer agreement, which includes the following:
• Information on the type and quantity of hazardous
substances on the site.
• A description of the cleanup that has occurred.
• A clause that states the federal governments right to
inspect the property after the transfer.
• Assurances that the necessary cleanup actions have been,
are, or will be completed.
If the new owner is planning to pay for the cleanup itself,
the agency that is transferring the property must provide
EPA with specific information about the new owners
technical and financial capacity to complete the cleanup.
Ultimately, however, the agency transferring the property is
still responsible for assuring that cleanup is completed.
A Guidance for the Future
Although the Early Transfer Guidance is an EPA policy, it
was developed in partnership with DoD, DOE, and the U.S.
General Services Administration. While early transfers
cannot be applied when property will stay within the federal
government, they can be implemented if the property will be
used for public benefit.
Already, we are starting to see positive results of how this
policy can accelerate the cleanup and restoration of sites,
while safeguarding human health and the environment. In
future issues, we will share specific examples of how the
Early Transfer Guidance is easing reuse and redevelopment
plans at federal facilities.
The Early Transfer Guidance and many other policies
regarding the restoration and reuse of federal facilities can be
found on FFRRO's home page at
.
Join Our Mailing List
If you would like to be on the FFRRO mailing list to receive future issues of Partners In Progress, please fill out and return this
form to ERG, c/o Leo Pineda, 2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 400, Arlington, VA 22201-3324 or fax to 703 841-1440. Alternately,
you can send your request via e-mail to .
Write To Us
We encourage your questions, comments, and
contributions. Please send your comments to Debby
Leblang by mail at EPA/FFRRO, mailcode: 5101, 401 M
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460; e-mail at
; or by fax at 202 260-5646.
Name:
Agency/Organization: _
Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone Number:
E-mail:
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Finding Solutions
EPA and the Air Force are breaking bread and breaking down barriers to base cleanups
during monthly "Brown Bag" meetings. The meetings provide an open forum for sharing
success stories and lessons learned, networking, and partnering. This forum helps
decision-makers find solutions to ongoing issues faster, sometimes within 24 hours,
according to Dr. Nairn Qazi of the Air Force Base Conversion Agency (AFBCA).
Division chiefs from both agencies usually attend these meetings.
Topics focus on minimizing environmental impacts and improving efficiency during base
cleanups. The topics are selected in advance and provided to all attendees. Recent meetings have
been devoted to discussing time- and cost-
saving initiatives for remediation. The
AFBCA proposes looking at various
cleanup efforts to determine which
remedies have been most effective.
Meetings are held in the AFBCA
building, 1700 North Moore Street, Suite
2300, Arlington, VA. For more information
and future topics for discussion, contact
Dr. Nairn Qazi (AFBCA) at 703 696-5580
or LisaTychsen (EPA) at 202 260-9926.
For more information
Do you have questions
about federal facility
cleanup and reuse? Do
you want to learn more
about FFRRO's
partnerships and latest
projects? If so, call FFRRO
at 202 260-9924. Also,
look for information on the
Internet at
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