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Milan Army Ammunition Plant
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Aerial photo of Milan Ammunition site
- Additional Site Photos
- Site Video
Additional Resources
- Site Cleanup Terms - can be found in EPA's glossary
- EPA Guides to Cleanup Technologies
- Superfund Community Involvement (PDF) (17 pp, 130K, About PDF)
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: TN0210020582Location: Milan, Carroll, and Gibson Counties, TN
Lat/Long: 35.867780, -088.696110
Congressional District: 08
NPL Status: Proposed: 10/15/84; Final: 07/22/87
Affected Media: Ground water, Soil
Cleanup Status: Cleanup activities are underway
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Active Facility
Site Manager: Tim Woolheater (woolheater.timothy@epa.gov)
Site Background
The Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MAAP) is a 22,540-acre site located in Carroll and Gibson Counties, Tennessee, constructed in 1941 to produce and store fuses, boosters, and small- and large-caliber ammunition. It is currently operated by American Ordnance Systems, Inc., with a mission that includes loading, assembling, and packing munitions as well as reconditioning or demolition of munitions.
Wastewater discharges from previous operations has resulted in the contamination of soil, sediment, and ground water with explosive (nitroaromatic) compounds. Plumes of contaminated ground water at the site have contaminated the Memphis Sand aquifer, a source of potable ground water that supplies drinking water for the 9,000 people in the nearby City of Milan.
Threats and Contaminants
Due to past practices at MAAP, explosives (primarily trinitrotoluene [TNT] and cyclo- trimethylenetrinitramine [RDX]) have been identified as contaminants of concern in the soil and ground water on site, with impacts to nearby ground water.
Site Cleanup Plan
Due to the size and complexity of the site, 18 operable units (OU) have been identified at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant.
These OUs typically refer to various portions of the site. OU-1, for example, refers to ground water contamination under the O-Line area at the MAAP. The O-Line area was built in 1942 to remove explosives from bombs and projectiles. OU-2, refers to soils at the O-Line area.
The most recent ROD was developed for OU-3 in 2001 and addressed non-industrial soil contamination in the northeast and northwest parts of the site using biotreatment via windrow composting to remove contaminants.
Details for cleanup approaches at other site OUs are available online.
Cleanup Progress
The Army relocated the City of Milan’s water supply wells in the early 1990’s that were contaminated by off-site migration of contaminated ground water.
Construction of the pump and treat system for OU-1 was completed in 1995. Due to technical problems the system was not operating at full capacity until 1998.
OU-2 soil, sediment, and surface water at the O-Line ponds were addressed by extending the existing cap built in 1988. Construction was completed in 1995 and monitoring of the cap is ongoing.
Construction of the OU-3 pump and treat system was completed in February 1999, and ground water is being treated at full capacity. Soil at OU-3/4 has been excavated and treatment is ongoing at an on-site soil composting facility.
Construction of the pump and treat system for OU-4 (X-Line ground water) was completed in July 2002. The ground water plume continues to migrate and is being studied for additional future actions.
A feasibility study has been drafted to evaluate remedial alternatives to address overall site ground water including OU-1, OU-3, OU-4, OU-5, and plumes in the vicinity of Lines B/D/C. The preferred remedial alternative has yet to be determined.
Two Five-Year Reviews (FYRs) have been developed for the site - 2001 and 2005. The 2000 FYR covered OUs 1, 2, 3, and 4. The 2005 FYR covered OUs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and found that while cleanup was still ongoing for several OUs, the interim measures were protective of human health and the environment. However, the edge of the OU-3 plume may be outside of the capture zone of the current system. Approximately 85-90% of the most contaminated portion of the plume is being captured, and treatment is still currently protective of human health and the environment. Modifications to the capture system are being evaluated and remedy changes will be considered in the next couple of years.
Enforcement Activities
A 1989 Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) was signed between the U.S. Army, EPA, and the State of Tennessee for the site. FFAs ensure that the environmental impacts associated with past and present activities at the site are thoroughly investigated and appropriate cleanup and corrective actions are developed and implemented. They also establish schedules and priorities and enforceable milestones for cleanup activities at federal sites.
EPA initiated a dispute under the FFA on August 11, 2008 on the overall ground water feasibility study.
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the MAAP site to solicit community input and to ensure that the public remains informed about site activities throughout the site cleanup process.
Future Work
Additional ground water plumes at the facility have, or will continue to be investigated.
Another FYR for the site is expected in 2010.
Site Administrative Documents
Site Repository
For more information or to view any site-related documents, please visit the site information repository at the following location. As new documents are generated, they will be placed in the information repository for public information.
Milan Public Library
1075A East Van Hook Street
Milan, TN 38358-2898
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.