United States
Environmental Protection
\r ^1 mm. Agency
FEDERAL FACILITY SUPERFUND PROGRAM
Former Military Bases Now Host Dynamic Mixed
Uses, Address Economic and Community Priorities
McClellan Air Force Base arid Fort Ord
Sacramento County and Monterey County, California
Innovation at two former federal facilities in California - McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento
County and Fort Ord in Monterey County - has increased the efficiency of cleanups and
enabled the restoration and reuse of these properties. For example, McClellan Business Park
supports 17,000 jobs and has generated $580 million in public and private investment.
Cleanup Privatization - Brief Overview
As part of these projects, a military agency arid a local government or reuse authority negotiate an Environmental Services
Cooperative Agreement (ESCA). The local government or reuse authority assumes ownership of the land and responsibility for
cleanup and receives a grant funding the full estimated cost of cleanup. EPA and state agencies oversee the cleanup. At sites
with a federal facility agreement, the military agency retains oversight responsibility.
Between 2005 and 2007, the privatization agreements negotiated for McClellan AFB and Fort Ord were among the first in
the country to be used at federal facility Superfund sites. These success stories show promise for further use of this innovative
approach; other sites with similar agreements include the South Weymouth Naval Air Station in Massachusetts.
"EPA's role has been central to the project's success.
The Agency is much more than an equal partner - it's an advocate for getting work done the right way,
making sure the message reaches the community and bringing agencies together."
- Michael Houlemard,
Fort Ord Reuse Authority Executive Director
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO)
December 2019
EPA560/F-19/001

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"All of the stakeholders h<
completing the cleanup and puffing th
- Alan Hersh, McCI
McClellan Air Force Base
History and Cleanup
This 3,452-acre Air Force base was an active depot from 1936 to 2001; it was one of the largest employers in the
Sacramento area and the largest industrial facility in northern California. Over time, aircraft maintenance and other
industrial activities at the base contaminated soil with solvents, heavy metals and other hazardous wastes. In 1987, EPA
placed the site on the Superfund program's National Priorities List (NPL).
During preparations for the base's closure, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) worked closely with Sacramento
County on plans for the site's cleanup and reuse, with EPA and state agencies providing regulatory oversight. Under the
site's ESCA, Sacramento County assumed ownership of portions of the site as well as responsibility and funding for their
cleanup. In turn, Sacramento County signed an agreement with a developer to assume those responsibilities while the
County retained control of cleanup funding. Between 2007 and 2015, the privatization agreement expanded to cover
1,357 acres of site property.
Air Force and privatized cleanups have included removal of contaminated soil and tanks, capping of part of the site,
groundwater treatment, and alternate water supplies for area residents. Cleanup was coordinated with redevelopment
plans so that high-priority areas were returned to use as rapidly as possible.
In September 2018, EPA recognized project partners' exemplary work transforming the former McClellan Air Force Base
into a successful business park with its first annual National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse award.
Reuse
Sacramento County focused on an early and seamless transition to reuse, moving
county offices on site immediately after the base's closure announcement in 1995. As
the Air Force vacated buildings, it turned them over for reuse. Since the 2007 ESCA
agreement, McClellan Business Park has been funded by about $580 million in public
and private investments. It currently offers 8 million square feet of facility space, with
an occupancy rate of 70 percent.
•	The business park provides space for hundreds of companies as well as local,
state and federal agencies.
•	Tenants - General Dynamics, Northrup Grumman, the USDA Wildfire
Academy and the Twin Rivers School District - employ more than 17,000
people on site.
•	Redevelopment and facility expansion are ongoing. At full buildout, the
property will support another 6 million square feet of new buildings, creating
the potential to employ a workforce of 35,000 at full capacity.
Former Air Force buildings have
been restored and reused for
office space and ofher facilities.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO)
December 2019
EPA560/F-19/001

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Fort Ord
History and Cleanup
The U.S. Army's 27,827-acre Fort Ord was an infantry training and
staging facility from 1917 to 1994. Improper materials handling
and waste disposal practices left contamination at the facility that
included leaking underground storage tanks, a 150-acre landfill
and other smaller dumping sites, and areas that posed threats from
unexploded ordnance. EPA placed the site on the NPL in 1990.
After the base's closure in 1994, the State of California created the
Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) to lead reuse planning, funding
and implementation efforts. A 2007 ESCA with the Army enabled
FORA to lead the cleanup of munitions and explosives for a 3,340-
acre portion of the site. The Army retains cleanup responsibility
for the rest of Fort Ord, including groundwater treatment, landfill
capping and gas treatment, and removal of contaminated soil and
debris.
Throughout the cleanup, FORA works closely with the Army. EPA, the California Department of Toxic Substances
Control, and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board provide oversight. FORA also manages the
protection of endangered species and critical habitats at the site.
Reuse
Extensive community engagement laid a strong foundation for FORA's redevelopment efforts, while local, state and
federal grants funded building removal, infrastructure improvements and collaborative redevelopment projects.
At full buildout. Fort Ord will be home to 37,000 residents, host 18,000 jobs and offer 3 million square feet of public
services and commercial space. To date:
•	Over 5,000 homes have been built or restored; 14,600 people live on site.
•	More than 660,000 square feet of commercial space have been completed; 4,200 people work on site.
•	A veterans medical clinic, higher education institutions, a shopping center, federal agency offices, housing
complexes (including low/assisted income housing), a veterans cemetery, a hotel and movie theater, and other
businesses have opened their doors.
•	Fort Ord National Monument and Fort Ord Dunes State Park provide open space and recreation areas.
On the parcels addressed under the ESCA, FORA has made road improvements and established the California Central
Coast Veteran's Cemetery. Future redevelopment on site will include a resort, golf courses, mixed-use projects and
additional housing.
Fort Ord Dunes State Park offers access to 979 acres of dunes and four miles of ocean beach
with beautiful views of Monterey Bay. If is part of a network of six parks that link 21 miles of the
California coastline. Photo Credit: Rob Sfarobin
From 1940 to 197V,'
an estimated 1.5 tnfllion
U.'S. soldiers trained at Fort Ord.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO)
December 2019
EPA 560/F-19/001

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ESCA Benefits
•	Integration of cleanup remedies with reuse plans
allows redevelopment authorities and developers
to maximize project efficiencies and return
properties to use more quickly.
•	Dedicated cleanup funds - rather than annual
funding authorizations - provide project certainty
and foster cleanup efficiencies.
•	Performance-based contracting creates strong
incentives for timely cleanups.
•	Local governments can adjust cleanup plans to
accommodate changing priorities.
•	Dedicated funding as well as long-term cleanup
and reuse strategies create stability for potential
tenants and purchasers.
"Performance-based cleanup agreements
encourage contractors to work more quickly
and efficiently, streamlining the auditing
process for the local agency."
- Alan Hersh,
McClellan Business Park
FOR A continues to guide and oversee all redevelopment efforts at
Fort Ord. FORA's governing body comprises 25 representatives from
area cities, Monterey County, special districts, public educational
institutions, the military, and state and federal legislators.
(Photo Credit: FORA)
Reuse in Action:
ESCA Results at Fort Ord
Fort Ord National Monument opened on site in April2012.
This coastal gem preserves some of the last undeveloped
natural areas and public lands on California's Monterey
Peninsula. More than 86 miles of frails provide opportuni-
ties to hike, bike or ride horses through rolling hills, pockets
of chaparral and oak woodlands. Diverse habitats include
streamside corridors, grasslands, maritime chaparral, oak
woodlands and seasonal pools.
(Photo Credit: U.S. Bureau of Land Management)
For More Information
Please visit www.epa.aov/fedfac for more information about federal facility cleanups, including success stories,
descriptions of new initiatives, policy and guidance documents, and newsletter updates.
To learn more about McClellan Business Park, please visit www.mcclellanpark.com.
To learn more about the Fort Reuse Authority, please visit www.fora.org.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO)
December 2019
EPA560/F-19/001

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