United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Part
In Progress
EPA Update on Federal Facility Cleanup and Reuse
FFRRO Partner Interactions Remain Strong
FromTheDirector
W
Felcome to the sixth issue of Partners in Progress (PIP), a newsletter
from EPA's Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office
(FFRRO).
In this issue we highlight exemplary stakeholder interactions, communica-
tion breakthroughs, and several innovative meetings and workshops. These
stories and more show progress being made across a range of issues surrounding
federal facility closure and cleanup.
As stated in our mission, FFRRO believes that maintaining positive partner-
ships is one of the most important elements for keeping remediation at federal
facilities on track. In this issue, we feature a historic partnership between EPA, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and the Nansemond Tribe.
Working together, these agencies forged an agreement that will protect artifacts from an ancient
tribal burial site unearthed while cleaning up a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS).
Even when partner discussions on federal facility issues create conflict, we are working to keep
open the lines of communication. At the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant in Illinois, a
diverse group of stakeholders used a facilitator's conflict resolution and team-building exercises to
help bring a controversial issue back into focus.
At Fort Devens, Massachusetts, it took a single concerned resident to bring community involve-
ment to the forefront of cleanup procedures. EPA is proud to honor community activist Laurie
Nehring with the 2001 Citizen's Excellence in Community Involvement Award.
The Power of One—EPA Honors a
Citizen's Contributions
TheCommunity
Connection
Take a contaminated military base near a small town, add concerned
government entities, and throw in an involved citizen's group. These
are common ingredients at a federal facility cleanup, but the story of
environmental remediation at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, and the role of
local community activist Laurie Nehring is an example of one resident's
uncommon determination to make a difference. That's why EPA honored
Nehring with the 2001 national Citizen's Excellence in Community
Involvement Award.
"Laurie was a breath of fresh air," says Jim Byrne, EPA's remedial project
manager for Fort Devens from 1990 to 1999. "She got so many people interested and involved.
She served the residents who will be left to live with whatever we do at the site, and she increased
deral Cleanups That Put Citizens First
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Joliet Army Ammunition Plant:
Progress
Celebrating
Success
G
iven the diverse issues and
stakeholders involved in a
federal facility cleanup, what
can agencies do when cleanup dis-
cussions reach an impasse? When
faced with this dilemma, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) hired a facilitator to help
resolve conflict over cleanup at an
Illinois Superfund site. The facilita-
tor's team-building and conflict resolution exercises not
only helped re-establish talks on appropriate cleanup lev-
els, they also helped a group of diverse representatives
explore and understand one another's personal and pro-
fessional points of view.
The Joliet Army Ammunition Plant in Will County,
Illinois, was active from 1940 to 1976. The plant is split
into two sites: the load-assembly-packing area and the
manufacturing area. The load-assembly-packing area was
used to put the finishing touches on high-explosive
artillery shells, bombs, mines, and small arms ammuni-
tion, as well as to test ammunition, wash and renovate
shells, and burn and demolish explosives.
At the manufacturing area, more than four billion
pounds of explosives—primarily trinitrotoluene
(TNT)—were made and stored.
The manufacturing area was placed on EPA's
Superfund National Priorities List in 1987, followed by
Acronyms Explainei
ASTSWMO Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste
Management Officials
BRAG Base Realignment and Closure
DoD U.S. Department of Defense
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FFRRO Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office
FUDS Formerly Used Defense Sites
ICMA International City/County Management Association
NCP National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution
Contingency Plan
NPL National Priorities List
PCS Poly-chlorinated biphenyl
QAPP Quality Assurance Project Plan
RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
ROD Record of Decision
STGWG State & Tribal Government Working Group
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
Partners In Progress
Philosophy
Stakeholders involved in federal facility cleanups are
diverse, with differing backgrounds, interests, and
perspectives. All of these stakeholders, however, share
a single common goal—progress. Partners In Progress
(PIP) provides an open forum for stakeholders to
exchange information, offer solutions, and share sto-
ries about what works and what doesn't. We
encourage you—our readers—to write to us about
your activities that foster teamwork, promote innova-
tion, and strengthen community involvement. Only
by working together can we achieve "federal cleanups
Emergency Response
(5106)
EPA505-B-02-001
February 2002
www.epa.gov/swerffrr/
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From the Director
Sharing ideas and information is a key component in
forming good partnerships, and we have a number of meet-
ing summaries and documents to share that address federal
facility issues. In this issue you will read about the updated
Comprehensive Five-Year Review Guidance, new reports on
cleanup regulations at U.S. Department of Energy sites, a
draft policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans, and the
first-ever Federal Facility Managers Symposium. You will
also find a recently updated list of appropriate U.S.
Department of Defense contacts dealing with federal facili-
ty cleanups.
As we enter 2002, we hope to continue sharing with you
the solutions and successes forged by good partnerships. We
welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions. For
more information, visit us on the Web at . QQ
—James Woolford, FFRRO Director
Protecting the Future and Uncovering the Past
Fragments of historic human
bone and tooth are not typical
discoveries in the cleanup of a
Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS).
But the former Nansemond
Ordnance Depot, near Suffolk,
Virginia—once a tribal meeting
place—is not a typical FUDS. In a
unique case of stakeholder involve-
ment, EPA, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, the Virginia Department
of Historic Resources, and the
Nansemond Tribe have signed an
agreement ensuring that remediation
activities protect tribal interests, arti-
facts, and history.
"Thanks to this agreement, we are
all now paying attention to the cul-
tural and historical significance of
this site, which we might not have
recognized before," says Rob
Thomson, the remedial project man-
ager from EPA Region 3.
The site occupied by the former
depot encompasses the convergence
point of the Nansemond and James
Rivers. In the late 18th and early
19th centuries, it was a meeting place
for the Nansemond Tribe, one of the
remaining Powhatan Confederacy
tribes officially recognized by the
Commonwealth of Virginia and the
state's General Assembly. The
Nansemond Tribe's long history of
relocation eventually led it away from
the site, which, in 1917, became
home to an Army ordnance depot.
Used for storing and shipping various
types of munitions during World War
I and II, the depot was closed in the
1960s. Areas of the site where conta-
mination does not threaten human
health now host a community col-
lege, General Electric facilities, and
various other private companies.
Nansemond's past military opera-
tions resulted in contamination from
metals, explosives, unexploded ord-
nance, petroleum products, and
industrial solvents. Placed on EPA's
National Priority List in 1999,
Nansemond's six major source areas
have been removed, and 20 other
areas of concern have been identified.
During the cleanup procedures, a
human burial site was discovered near
a landfill along the James River
beachfront. After careful excavation
and Nansemond tribal approval, the
remains were removed for further
study at nearby Radford University.
In response to this exciting archeolog-
ical find, and in anticipation of other
discoveries, EPA recognized the need
for a new kind of stakeholder involve-
ment at the Nansemond site. The
agreement, made possible through the
National Historic Preservation Act,
was signed in May 2000. According
to Thomson, it lays the foundation
for a culturally sensitive, cautious
approach to cleanup.
"We now have an
archeological plan in
place. If a site is
found, it must be
excavated by a profes-
sional archeologist to
determine its historical
and cultural signifi-
cance," he says. If the
site is determined to
be significant, a plan
to avoid or minimize
disturbance is prepared
in consultation with
archeologists, the Nansemond Tribe,
and the State Historic Preservation
Officer. In addition, Nansemond
tribal member Fred Bright now
retains a permanent seat on the
Restoration Advisory Board for the
site.
"I had never experienced anything
like this. I think it's very important
for other remedial project managers to
recognize that the possibility of find-
ing culturally or historically significant
artifacts exists," Thomson says. "They
should understand the importance of
including all interested parties as soon
as possible, so that everyone has a
voice and gets on board."
The Nansemond agreement is a
testament to EPA's commitment to
involve and hear all communities
with ties to a Superfund site, whether
in this century or those past. Ulii
While removing contaminants such as unexploded ordnance
(pictured), excavators at the Nansemond site in Virginia took
special care to preserve historic artifacts found on site.
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News Briefs
Comprehensive Five-Year Review Guidance Available
The 2001 update of the Compre-
hensive Five-Year Review Guidance is
now available on EPA's Superfund
Web site (www.epa.gov/superfund/
resources/5year/index.htm). This guid-
ance is intended to promote consistent
five-year reviews of cleanup remedies
at sites.
The Superfund regulations require a
five-year review when remedial actions
leave hazardous substances, pollutants,
or contaminants on-site. The National
Oil and Hazardous Substances
Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP)
also requires a five-year review of
remedial actions where contaminants
are left in place at levels that limit use
or restrict exposure.
The five-year review requirement
applies to all remedial actions selected
under Superfund. Like private facili-
ties, federal agencies are responsible for
ensuring that five-year reviews are con-
ducted at sites where they are required
or appropriate. The guidance is
designed to:
• Provide an approach for conducting
five-year reviews.
• Facilitate consistency across the 10
EPA Regions.
• Clarify current policy.
• Discuss roles and responsibilities of
various entities in conducting or
supporting five-year reviews.
The document also can be accessed
from the FFRRO Web site at . EH
STGWG Releases FY 2001 Annual Report
In October 2001, the State & Tribal
Government Working Group
(STGWG) released its Fiscal Year
2001 Annual Report, which highlights
activities during the past year.
STGWG is a group of tribes, states,
and associations appointed by the
Secretary of Energy to help ensure that
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
facilities and sites are operated and
cleaned up in compliance with all
applicable federal and state laws and
regulations.
STGWG's Stewardship Committee
also released four interim reports on
initiatives related to environmental
cleanups at federal facilities:
• Information Management for
Long-Term Stewardship
The committee conducted a survey
of working group members to deter-
mine the scope of state and tribal
information needs for long-term
stewardship at DOE nuclear sites
where contamination will remain.
The committee found that data on
remedial actions and location and
inventory of contamination and
wastes were the most important
types of information needed. It also
found that confirming effectiveness
of a remedy and correcting or com-
pensating for failure were the most
important purposes for information.
The committee will follow up its
research by finding out how infor-
mation is gathered, managed, and
made accessible, and how to best
conduct long-term information
management.
Classified Wastes
The committee conducted a survey
of working group members to
determine the level of interest in
classified waste disposal and its
effect on long-term stewardship.
Based on survey responses,
STGWG will submit a document
to DOE with its survey results and
a request that DOE conduct its
own survey on classified waste.
STGWG hopes that DOE's find-
ings will offer an acceptable path
forward.
DOE Land Transfers
The committee conducted a survey
of working group members to
determine the effectiveness of
DOE policies regarding transfer of
facilities or properties to other
agencies. The survey and follow-up
investigations revealed five prob-
lems with DOE policies, including
confusion about transfer terms and
role definition, inconsistent termi-
nology and processes, difficulty
accessing transfer information,
confusion about federal agency
ownership of a site, and confusion
about long-term controls. The
committee provides background on
its research methods, as well as sev-
eral recommendations.
• DOE Long-Term Cost Estimation
The committee began research into
the economics and cost-estimating
procedures for long-term cleanup
remedies at DOE sites. Initial find-
ings indicate that present cost
comparison tools are not optimal
and that optional methods should
be evaluated. The committee has
made several recommendations for
continued research into new cost-
estimating tools, and vows to work
with DOE and others to establish
the necessary funding and support.
For more information on STGWG
and its involvement in DOE site
cleanups, visit the groups Web site at
. EH
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Whom to See in the DoD
You can contact the following DoD employees in the Office of the Deputy Under
Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment) with questions about federal facili-
ties cleanups:
• Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and • Environmental
Environment) Quality
Raymond E DuBois Kevin Doxey
703 695-2880 703 604-1885
• Principal Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of
Defense (Installations and Environment)
Philip Grone
703697-9107
• Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
(Environment)
John P. Woodley
703 697-7413
• Cleanup
Kurt Kratz
703 697-5372
• Unexploded Ordnance
Col. John Selstrom, U.S. Air Force
703 695-5297
Program Integration
Patrick Meehan
703 695-7957
Housing and Energy
Peter J. Potochney
703 614-5356
Safety and Occupational Health
Curtis Bowling
703 604-1624
Explosive Safety Board
Capt. Bill Wright, U.S. Navy
703325-0891
Comments Sought on Policy for Quality Assurance
Project Plans
As part of an ongoing, interagency effort to improve the
way the federal government collects and manages environ-
mental data, EPA is reviewing comments on a draft policy
on Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs). An intera-
gency data quality task force that includes the U.S.
Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE), and EPA developed this policy, a work-
book, and QAPP example for review. EPA has requested
formal comment on the documents before each agency
issues a policy directive for future QAPPs.
QAPPs are plans that EPA requires in any type of envi-
ronmental data collection project—from Superfund site
remediation, to general environmental compliance, to long-
term stewardship efforts. EPA has been working with DoD
and DOE on the interagency task force since 1997 to
develop a Uniform Federal Policy for Implementing
Environmental Quality Systems, in response to concerns
over the quality of data used in Superfund decision-making
(see Fanners in Progress Issue #5). These efforts are coordi-
nated agency-wide by EPA's Office of Environmental
Information, which has central responsibility for EPA's
information management, policy, and technology.
"The Quality Assurance Project Plans are used to provide
a baseline and information on how you're collecting data
and monitoring the site," says FFPvRO's Mike Carter, who
serves on the task force. In addition to being consistent
with EPA's requirements, the draft policy reflects the con-
sensus-driven American National Standards Institute/
American Society for Quality Control (ANSI/ASQC) E-4
Standard.
The deadline for comments is April 30, 2002. Those
interested in reviewing the draft Interagency Data Quality
Task Force Policy, QAPP example, and workbook can find
these documents online at . For additional information
on EPA's QAPP requirements, see , or contact Mike Carter at
202 260-5686 or . QQ
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Two Federal Facilities Make 2001 Cons
n 2001, Loring Air Force Base in Maine and Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland made the
Superfund construction completion list. A construction completion site is a former toxic waste site
where physical construction of all cleanup actions is complete, all immediate threats have been
addressed, and all long-term threats are under control. Construction completion of a site is a significant
benchmark in the cleanup process. It means contaminants are no longer threatening the health and
well-being of the surrounding community or spreading uncontrolled through the soil, air, surface water,
or groundwater. It also means that, even though long-term cleanup actions may still be operating, the
site is usually ready to be reused for economic, social, or environmental purposes.
Loring Air Force Base, Maine
Loring Air Force Base—located in Aroostook County,
Maine, near the towns of Connor, Caswell, Caribou, and
Limestone—operated as an active military installation
beginning in 1952. The 9,000-acre base was used to main-
tain a combat-ready force capable of long-range
bombardment operations. Various quantities of fuels, oils,
lubricants, solvents, and protective coatings were released
into the surrounding environment. Surface water, soils,
and sediments were contaminated with volatile organic
compounds, poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides,
and heavy metals. The U.S. Air Force has been conducting
an environmental cleanup program there since 1983.
In 1990, the base was added to EPA's Superfund
National Priorities List (NPL). In 1991, the Air Force,
EPA, and the Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (MEDEP) signed a Federal Facilities Agreement
establishing the protocols for conducting the cleanup of
Loring Air Force Base. To speed the cleanup, the Air Force
organized 53 sites into 15 operable units based on geo-
graphic location, groundwater properties, and geologic
units.
The base was closed in September 1994 by the
Secretary of Defense's Commission on Base Realignment
and Closure (BRAC). Because of the low levels of conta-
mination in the soil, the BRAC Cleanup Team—
consisting of EPA, the Air Force, and the MEDEP reme-
dial project managers—decided it was safe to use as fill to
cap two landfills on the site. This approach was expanded
to include any contaminated soils from the operable units.
The cleanup team decided to delay the final capping of
one landfill to accommodate 150,000 cubic yards from
one of the operable units, including 2.5 miles
of stream and wetlands remediation. The
cleanup team faced additional challenges, such
as identifying the delineation of the groundwa-
ter plumes. This effort was complicated by the
fractured rock geology, distribution of contami-
nation sources across the 9,000-acre base, and
the long history of military operations.
During the removal/remedial actions at
Loring, contaminated soil and sediments were
removed from flood plains and streams. About
one million cubic yards of contaminated soil
were excavated from around the base and con-
solidated in landfills, which were investigated
under the Air Force's Installation Restoration
Program as required by Superfund. The Air
Force also removed and/or evaluated under-
ground storage tanks, trenches, and buildings
for radioactive contamination. In addition, the
Air Force restored 51.49 acres of wetlands, and
the area will be monitored for five years to
ensure the success of the restoration efforts. All
remedial construction activities were completed
in March 2001.
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truction Completion List
With remedial construction activities completed at Loring AFB, a cleaner
environment at this northern New England site is now available to the local
community, the Loring Development Authority, and the abundant native
wildlife, such as the moose pictured above.
"Out-of-the-box thinking on the part of the cleanup
team has expedited the successful cleanup and redevelop-
ment of Loring Air Force Base and has resulted in
significant cost savings," says Mike Daly, remedial project
manager at Loring AFB. "EPA looks forward to continu-
ing our strong partnership with the MEDEP and the Air
Force to accelerate the transfer of property still retained by
the Air Force and to optimize environmental restoration
efforts currently under way so that these sites can be closed
out in a timely and cost-effective manner."
The Air Force has continued environmental restoration
efforts since the base was closed in 1994 and has trans-
ferred most of the former base to the Loring Development
Authority via a 55-year long-term lease in anticipation of
an eventual full transfer. Loring also hosts several employ-
ers, such as SITEL (a telemarketing firm), the Defense
Finance Accounting Service, a Department of Labor Job
Corps facility, and the Maine Air National Guard.
Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
The Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) is an active
72,500-acre Army installation located in southern Harford
County and southeastern Baltimore County, Maryland,
near the head of Chesapeake Bay. The site is bordered by
residential areas to the north and a power plant and state
park to the west and is intersected by the Bush River.
In 1981, the Harford County Department of
Health inspected the site and recommended cap-
ping the landfill with two feet of relatively
impermeable material and covering the cap with
topsoil. The effort failed to function properly, and
the Army later discovered the presence of haz-
ardous chemicals—including lead, mercury,
cadmium, and benzene—in groundwater on the
landfill. The landfill was placed on EPAs National
Priorities List in 1989. After observing leachate
outbreaks in 1991, EPA installed temporary collec-
tion drains until a new cap could be put in place.
In 1992, the EPA Administrator signed a
Record of Decision (ROD) that proposed
installing a multilayered cap system as recom-
mended by the Maryland Department of the
Environment. In addition, the temporary collec-
tion system was removed and replaced by a new
drainage system. Installation of the landfill cap sys-
tem was completed in 1994. Risks posed by the
landfill include potential exposure to and/or trans-
port of contaminants that might be associated with
surface water runoff or surface water infiltration
and subsequent leachate generation. Maintenance
activities include routine mowing and inspection
of the cap and drainage system.
In 1997, the EPA Administrator signed the ROD for
groundwater at the site. The ROD identified a potential
risk from drinking water, and installing drinking water
wells within a quarter-mile perimeter of the landfill cap is
prohibited. APG notifies Maryland and EPA annually that
this restriction is still being enforced. Groundwater, surface
water, and sediment are monitored bianually. In addition,
the well installation restrictions would be included in any
real property documents in the event that the Army sells
the property.
Because the local community expressed interest in
regard to the groundwater contamination at APG, the
community relations staff implemented an active outreach
campaign. To keep the community informed of remedial
activities and groundwater monitoring results at the site,
APG's community relations staff held public meetings, dis-
tributed fact sheets, and offered site tours. "A lot of work
was done with participation from the community," says
Steve Hirsh, remedial project manager at APG. "Due to
high public interest, we worked to ensure that the commu-
nity's role in the remedial activities would not be
diminished by site completion."
The APG site was placed on the construction comple-
tion list in June 2001. In accordance with Superfund
requirements, a five-year review will be conducted at this
site, and the final report will be completed by June 2002. EZQ
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The Power of One
the government agencies' sensitivity
to community concerns." Nehring
received the citizen's award from
EPA's Office of Emergency and
Remedial Response, and was honored
with a plaque at the 2001
Community Involvement Conference
in San Antonio, Texas.
A 9,400-acre former Army base,
Fort Devens lies 35 miles west of
Boston, and is surrounded by the
towns of Ayer, Shirley, Lancaster, and
Harvard. In 1917, Fort Devens was
established as a temporary training
camp for Army soldiers during World
War I and converted to a permanent
base in 1931. The base operated for
more than 60 years, hosting a variety
of military activities until its closure
in 1996, when the land was trans-
ferred back to local communities for
public and private use.
The years of military activity left
many contaminated areas, and Fort
Devens was placed on EPA's
Superfund National Priorities List in
1989. More than 80 sites of poten-
tially hazardous soil and groundwater
contamination were identified, and a
partnership involving EPA, the
Department of Defense (DoD), the
Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection, and local
governments was formed to clean up
the site and develop a plan for its
reuse. Adding to environmental con-
cerns is fact that Fort Devens lies
only two miles from 3,500 house-
holds and is intersected by the
Nashua River, an important resource
for the area.
In 1997, members of People of
Ayer Concerned About the
Environment (PACE) faced a diffi-
cult situation. Not only had activities
at Fort Devens left environmental
damage, but its recent closure had
also left a gaping hole in the local
economy. PACE members, like their
fellow Ayer residents, were preoccu-
pied with the serious financial
ramifications of the base's shutdown,
but had not utilized an EPA
Technical Assistance Grant received
in the early 1990s to address con-
cerns about contamination at Fort
Devens. Without quick action, the
group was in danger of losing the
$50,000 grant—a vital asset in
informing the community and affect-
ing environmental cleanup issues.
At the same time, Laurie Nehring,
who was new to Ayer, was looking for
a way to connect with her communi-
ty. With an undergraduate degree in
environmental science and experience
as an environmental librarian,
Nehring thought PACE would be a
perfect fit. A stay-at-home mom with
a new daughter, Nehring devoted her
extra time to investigating what
PACE had to do to save the grant,
and she began implementing those
actions. "Laurie was able to step in
and get the group together," says Jim
Murphy, EPA's community involve-
ment coordinator. "She put in the
effort to utilize and maintain the EPA
grant, which PACE used to hire a
very competent consultant who was
able to provide valuable technical
insight."
Backed by thorough technical
research, Nehring and PACE began
speaking out on remediation deci-
sions, bringing a whole new
perspective to the table. As part of
ASTSWMO Hosts Federal Facility Managers
In 2001, the Association of State and Territorial Solid
Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) hosted the
first-ever Federal Facility Managers Symposium in Florida.
The symposium, held from August 20 to 22, focused on a
variety of issues from institutional controls and environ-
mental justice to Formerly Used Defense Sites and cleanup
of military ordnance ranges.
Representatives from states, EPA, the U.S. Department
of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers attended the event. The primary
goals of the symposium were to give participants an oppor-
tunity to share information with peers from different
agencies and to update association members on policy
changes and other news. It also aimed to improve commu-
nication between states and federal agencies in order to
provide efficient cleanup efforts of federal facilities.
The symposium offered participants numerous sessions
on issues such as the partnering process, technology and
information management, property transfer and privatiza-
tion, and funding, liability, and insurance issues associated
with site closeout. It also served to showcase the various
work products (e.g., surveys) developed by ASTSWMO's
federal facilities subcommittee.
For more information, contact Dania Rodriguez of
ASTSWMO at 202 624-5973 or . EH
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Award winner Laurie Nehring with Suzanne Wells of EPA's Office of Emergency and
Remedial Response.
one major contribution, Nehring and
PACE succeeded in changing DoD's
initial plan to create a major landfill
out of six existing ones on a section
of the Fort Devens site near the
downtown area of Ayer. By investi-
gating the potential risks, informing
the public, and mobilizing local con-
gressmen, state senators, and other
elected officials, Nehring and PACE
worked with EPA and DoD to re-
evaluate the proposed landfill
consolidation.
"Laurie helped PACE members
position themselves as key players in
the process, not just as critics," says
Murphy. "They not only presented
reasonable, well-supported concerns,
but they also helped to devise realis-
tic alternatives that would satisfy all
parties involved."
When DoD began looking for a
new site for the landfill, Nehring and
PACE sustained their involvement,
meeting frequently with officials to
review the pros and cons of other sit-
ing options. According to Nehring,
project manager since 1999), nomi-
nated Nehring for the award.
According to Byrne, "This is an
impressive award for citizens. It
shows that they are important in the
Superfund process and sheds light on
their achievements, providing an
excellent example for other commu-
nities." The award won valuable
media attention for PACE and its
efforts, and it bolstered the group's
image as a well-respected contributor
to the Fort Devens cleanup. As for
Nehring, the award inspired her to
continue her work to protect Ayer's
environmental interests. PACE has
already received a renewal of the EPA
technical assistance grant and has
shifted its focus to new topics, such
as the condition and maintenance of
one of Fort Devens' largest existing
landfills.
Looking back over her five years of
work with PACE, Nehring can offer
other concerned citizens valuable
advice. "Remember that you are
going to have ups and downs in your
efforts. No matter how hard it gets,
don't forget that there are always
other people out there, facing similar
issues, who believe in your cause." QQ
understanding DoD's perspective and
trying to be balanced were crucial to
success. The new landfill, which will
feature state-of-the-art leak protec-
tion technology, is now under
construction at a location that poses
little risk to Ayer residents or the sur-
rounding environment.
Byrne, along with Murphy and
Carol Keating (Fort Devens' remedial
Upcoming Event
2002 National Community Involvement
Conference
Where: Portland, Oregon
When: June 25 to 28, 2002
This dynamic conference brings together public participation and com-
munity involvement professionals from across all EPA programs, as well
as their federal, tribal, state, and local partners. Conference presentations
are designed to emphasize the process of public participation and com-
munity involvement by focusing on techniques and approaches used in
EPA's national and regional programs.
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10
Facilitating Progress
the load-assembly-packing area in 1989. Soil
at the two sites was mostly contaminated with
explosives and heavy metals, and a number of
groundwater plumes were contaminated with
explosives, metals, and volatile organic com-
pounds. The U.S. Army decided to combine
the sites and turn them into an industrial park,
so it began conducting research to establish
appropriate cleanup levels and issue a Record
of Decision (ROD).
In 1995, Illinois established the Land
Conservation Act and designated 19,000 acres
of the Joliet site for inclusion in the Midewin
National Tallgrass Prairie. "When fully
restored, Midewin will be the largest section of
native tallgrass prairie east of the Mississippi,"
says Steve Davis of the Illinois Department of
Natural Resources. In 1997, the Army trans-
ferred 15,000 acres of the site to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Forest
Service. Another 4,000 acres will be transferred once they
are cleaned. An additional 5,000 acres of the Joliet site were
designated to become a municipal landfill for Will County,
a National Veterans Cemetery, and two industrial parks for
the nearby cities of Wilmington and Elwood.
In 1998, EPA, the Army, and the Forest Service were
working together to finalize the ROD for the two sites.
Industrial
Park
1-55
Joliet Army
Training Area
National Tallgrass Prairie
Industrial
Park
Map of proposed future uses for the Joliet site.
Landfill
When overseers at the USDA read a draft of the ROD,
they realized that the cleanup levels being established were
based on data from the Army's research done prior to the
Land Conservation Act and did not consider the land's new
future use. The USDA became concerned that the cleanup
levels set in the draft ROD might not adequately protect
the site's ecological resources and asked EPA not to sign it
until more appropriate levels were established. The Army,
however, felt it was too late to make
changes and stood by the levels set in
the draft ROD.
With neither agency able to reach an
agreement, cleanup procedures at Joliet
came to a standstill. In September
1998, EPA hired a facilitator to help
reestablish communication. Laurel
Boucher, a contractor with a Maryland-
based firm, began by meeting with key
management personnel to help them
identify their individual and common
goals for the cleanup. She helped the
group decide on a short-term solution
in which EPA would sign the existing
ROD with the condition that the
cleanup levels would only be interim
figures and a final plan would be estab-
lished by 2002.
Boucher first encouraged the group
to designate representatives from the
management staff of each involved
party who would develop the final
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Cleanup activities at federal facilities across the country are making thousands
of acres suitable for redevelopment as well as restoring natural areas such as
wetlands and prairies.
plan. Once this management group had been created, it
appointed two technical workgroups, one on human health
and one on ecological health, comprised of representatives
from each party. The workgroups met once each month
with the facilitator to discuss the cleanup levels needed to
address each topic of concern.
Boucher did not participate in the technical discussions.
Instead, she came to meetings to provide the groups with
team-building activities and conflict resolution training.
From the start, she helped the group reach
decisions on every aspect of their meetings,
including the agenda, the schedule, and vari-
ous operating procedures. She even asked the
group to agree on the roles of a facilitator and
to rotate some of these roles among them-
selves so she could separate herself from the
technical discussions and be seen as an unbi-
ased mediator.
According to Dr. Mark Tumeo, a USDA
contactor assigned to Joliet, the facilitator not
only reinitiated talks, but also helped the
involved agencies develop better long-term
relationships for resolving conflict. "We still
might not see eye-to-eye, but at least she
helped us deal with our issues in an effective
and cooperative manner," he says.
"Our meetings prior to hiring the facilita-
tor were very contentious," says Diana Mally
of EPA's Region 5 office in Chicago. "We
simply were not making any progress." Now,
although final cleanup levels are still being
determined, Mally is optimistic that a fair
agreement will be reached. "The real success is that we are
once again able to talk," she says.
Three months after their formation, the workgroups pre-
sented the management group with their collected data on
cleanup needs at Joliet. Since then, the management group
has been reviewing the data and meeting with the facilitator
to reach consensus on a final plan. Once a final plan is pro-
posed, it will be evaluated by a feasability specialist before
moving to closure. ES
Write To Us
We encourage your questions, comments, and contributions. Please send your input to Dianna Young by mail at
U.S. EPA/FFRRO, Mailcode: 5106, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20460; e-mail at
; or fax at 202 260-5646.
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ICMA Passes on a Legacy of Information on
Military Base Reuse
Individuals involved in military base closure and reuse participated in a workshop in August 2001 to record their
accumulated experiences for future reference. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) co-
hosted the workshop with the city of Aurora, Colorado. Approximately 45 attendees participated in discussion groups
covering topics such as planning for reuse, environmental remediation, community involvement, property transfer,
land-use controls, and recommendations on the process of future base closure rounds. Participants also toured two for-
mer military sites—Lowry Air Force Base and Fitzsimons Army Hospital—that are being converted for residential,
commercial, and community use.
The idea for the workshop was based on discussions ICMAs Military Base Reuse Consortium had with local gov-
ernment officials and others. Additional base closures have been discussed for several years and several pieces of
legislation have been introduced to allow for more Base Realignment and Closure (BRAG) rounds, including the
recent Department of Defense Efficient Facilities Initiative.
"The goal of the workshop was to gather a small group of people with a wide variety of experience in a relaxed, aca-
demic setting," says Jacen McMillen of ICMA. "People were able to speak candidly about the issues, and we received a
lot of positive and beneficial feedback."
Results of the workshop are intended to help local governments face the challenges and opportunities created by
possible future base closures. Information from the workshop will be organized, condensed, and published as a report
to supplement ICMAs upcoming Base Reuse Handbook, 2nd Edition.
For more information, contact Jacen McMillen of ICMA at 202 962-3596. E3Q
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