Mid-Atlantic Superfund

EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)

Maryland
St. Mary's County
Cedar Point

EPA ID# MD7170024536

5th Congressional District

Last Update: August/September 2009

Other Names

None

Current Site Status

Several investigations and cleanups continue. The remedial investigation (RI) and feasibility study (FS) for Site 4 (Hermanville Disposal Area) continues. Soil removal from the four trenches at Site 4 was completed in December 2004. Approximately 24,000 tons of soil was sent to Calvert County Landfill. The soil was used for daily cover. This benefitted the Navy and the Calvert County. The county did not have to purchase soil as a result. A Record of decision (RODs) for Site 46 and Site 6A ROD Amendment were completed last year. The remedy selected No Action. Thus, this will allow the Navy to pursue reuse of the sites to construct hanger and office space. In addition, the wetland mitigation for Site 1 and 12 Operable Unit 1 (OU 1) was completed late fall.

Several remedial investigations and feasibility studies continue. ) for , should be completed this year. Record of Decisions (RODs) were signed for Site 17 OU 2 (Sediment and Groundwater) Pesticide Shop) in September 2006, Site 11 Operable Unit 2 (OU 2) Groundwater at the Former and Currently Landfills in 2008, as well as Hermanville Site 4 and 5 Groundwater, as well as Site 39 Waster PCE Dry Cleaners.

Site Description

The Naval Air Station Patuxent River is located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland is a 6,400-acre facility located at the confluence of the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay on a peninsula known as Cedar Point. The Navy facility is located next to the city of Lexington Park which has a population of about 13,000. There are approximately 17,500 military, civilian, contractors and nonappropriated fund personnel that work at the Naval Air Station on a normal day. That number has grown with the influx of workers from the base realignment and closure (BRAC) activities from other Navy installations in 1998.

Surface water on the facility is contaminated as a result of the operations of the Fishing Point, the Former Sanitary, and the Current Sanitary Landfills—and from a portion of the site known as the Pesticide Control Rinse Area. From 1960 to 1974, the Fishing Point Landfill (a filled wetland area) received solid and hazardous wastes such as sewage treatment plant sludge, cesspool wastes, spent oil absorbents, paints, antifreeze, solvents, thinners, pesticides, and photo lab wastes. In 1974, the Navy began depositing these wastes in the Former Sanitary Landfill and, in 1980, began using the Current Sanitary Landfill, which remained open until September 1994. The Former and Current Sanitary Landfills cover a total of 16½ acres. The Pesticide Control Shop Rinse Area generated 300 to 400 gallons of rinsate per day from 1962 until the late 1970s. Two fishing areas on the site, Pond 3 and Pine Hill Run, are located in the surface water run-off pathway of the Pesticide Shop. Pine Hill Run flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The State of Maryland issued a fish advisory for the ponds on the base. The town of Lexington Park directly borders and is up gradient from the base.

Site Responsibility

The site is being addressed through Federal actions.

NPL Listing History

Proposed Date: 01/18/94
Final Date: 05/31/94

Threats and Contaminants

The soil and surface water are contaminated with sludge, cesspool wastes, oil absorbents, paints, antifreeze, solvents, thinners, photo lab wastes, hospital wastes, and asbestos. In addition, the soil and sediments are contaminated with pesticides, including DDT and chlordane. The wetlands located along the southern and northern borders of Fishing Point were used for shell fishing and fishing. The Chesapeake Bay supports recreational and fishing activities. Sampling of the Patuxent River at part of the remedial investigation at Fishing Point Landfill determined that there is no risk in surface water or sediment in the river. Recreational consumption of fish from the on base ponds is still restricted.

Cleanup Progress

Actual Construction Underway

Several investigations and cleanups are complete. At Site 4 (Hermanville Disposal Site) 84,558 tons of soil was removed from four disposal four trenches. 568 munition and explosives of concern (MEC) scrap metal were removed and disposed because they were determined to be inert. 38 MEC items could not be determined as inert and were sent off base to be disposed of as well. The second Five-Year Review for the entire base is was completed in December 2008.

Cost saving and several innovate activities continue to be implemented at NAS Patuxent River. Recently, 24,000 tons of soil excavated from the disposal trenches at Site 4 (Hermanville Disposal site) was sent to Calvert County Landfill in Maryland. The soil was used as daily soil cover. This save the county from purchasing soil. Thus both the Navy and Calvert County benefited. Previously, at Site 1 and 12, $2.45 million dollars were saved while an additional $ 67,000 was saved by using composed biosolids instead of purchasing top soil at Sites 1 & 12. Site 6 Drum Storage Area was re-developed into a fuel tanker parking lot for the base in 2002. Site 46 and Site 6A OU 1 Soil. The No Action remedy will allow the Navy to construct a hanger and taxiway in the possible future. The Navy, EPA and MDE continue to look at cost-saving activities and to redevelop and reuse sites. In addition, the Navy, EPA, and MDE continue to evaluate long-term monitoring costs to save money where possible. All 16 sites desktop evaluation (DE) sites were closed out following the procedures in the federal facility agreement (FFA) in February 2006.

The remedial action (RA) for Sites 1 & 12 OU2 wetland was completed in 2007. The treatability study evaluated the efficacy of using phosphate to stabilize the metals in soil around a rifle range and wetland. The RA began in September 2007 with removal of lead contaminated soil/sediment to 400 ppm. Phosphate will be added to upland soil to stabilize any residual lean in soil. The RA was completed in December 2007. Submittal of the final report and monitoring plan will occur in 2008. Wetland and tree planting began in the Spring or 2008. Several RI/FS studies were completed in 2008. RODs were signed in October 2008 for Site 11 OU2 Former and Current Sanitary Landfills, Site 5 and 5 Hermanville Groundwater, as well as Site 6/6A OU2.

The RA for pesticide sediment removal for Site 17 OU2 Pesticide Shop in Pond 3 is began in Spring 2009. The remedial design (RD) and remedial action (RA) work plans were reviewed and accepted in July/August 2009. The remedial action (RA) began in August 2009 and the in-situ groundwater injections should be completed by October 2009. Long-term monitoring will continue and the remedy is expected to be completed in five to six years. In addition, a ROD is expected to be signed for Areas 4B, 4C and 4D Hermanville Disposal site in September/October 2009. An engineering evaluation and cost estimate (EE/CA) will be issued for Site 5 Disposal Near Pine Hill Run. Upon completion, the Navy will lease/transfer property to St. May's County to expand the waste water treatment plant. As a result, the navy, EPA, and MDE are accelerating the cleanup of Site 5 to allow the Navy to transfer property to the County. No date has been given regarding the property transfer or when the construction to expand the treatment plant is to begin.

Contacts

Site Contacts

Administrative Record Locations