Naval Industrial Reserve Ordinance Plant (NIROP)

Site Information

Fridley, MN (Anoka County)
EPA ID# MN3170022914
NPL Factsheet
Superfund Site Progress Profile
Alias(es): Naval Sea Systems Command

Fridley-Area Superfund Sites

Contact Information

Community Involvement Coordinator
Nefertiti DiCosmo (dicosmo.nefertiti@epa.gov)
312-886-6148 or 800-621-8431, ext. 66148

Remedial Project Manager
Sheila Desai (desai.sheila@epa.gov)
312-353-4150 or 800-621-8431, ext. 34150

Repositories

(where to view written records)

TBD

Links

EPA Superfund Home Page
Region 5 Superfund
Superfund Frequent Questions

Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry

Background

The Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant (NIROP) site is an 83-acre site located about 700 feet east of the Mississippi River in Fridley, Minnesota. The U.S. Navy and its contractors have produced advanced weapons systems at the facility since 1940. In 1981, trichloroethylene (TCE) was discovered in on-site groundwater wells and in the city of Minneapolis's drinking water treatment plant intake pipe, which is now located in the Mississippi River about 4,900 feet downstream from the site. There were no existing federal drinking water standards for TCE in 1981, but the wells on the NIROP site were shut down in April 1981 as a precautionary measure.

The Navy, USEPA, and MPCA began environmental investigations at NIROP in 1983 and work continues today. The environmental cleanup program at NIROP identified volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in both soil and groundwater. Soil investigations were conducted by the Navy on the land outside the NIROP building in 1983, 1992, and 1996, resulting in the removal and off-site disposal of 2,200 cubic yards of soil and 97 drums and 12 small containers of waste that were found buried on the site.

Studies conducted at NIROP in 1984 and 1988 indicated that groundwater originating from the site and contaminated primarily with TCE was flowing into the Mississippi River at TCE concentrations above the Safe Drinking Water Act maximum contaminant limit (MCL) for TCE (5 ppb). The Navy presented the groundwater cleanup plan for NIROP to the community in a public meeting held in Fridley in 1990. The plan included pumping the contaminated groundwater to the surface with extraction wells, treating the water to remove TCE and other VOCs, then discharging the clean water into the Mississippi River. The overall goal of the groundwater cleanup design is to contain the groundwater contamination within the NIROP site boundary to prevent additional movement of contaminated groundwater off-site.

Groundwater treatment has been ongoing at NIROP since September 1991 and continues today. Additional wells were installed, replaced, and/or taken out of service over the years, along with treatment system upgrades designed to maximize system performance and to gather additional information. More than 4.3 billion gallons of groundwater have been treated since 1991, resulting in a recovery of over 38,000 pounds of TCE, accounting fora considerable reduction in the VOC concentrations at the NIROP site. The system is doing what it was designed to do, but it will take time for the groundwater to reach cleanup goals at the current pace. The Navy is continuously monitoring the system and evaluating new cleanup options to identify actions that may help speed up the process and allow the site to reach cleanup goals faster. In 2003, the Navy remediated a portion of Anoka County Park using application of vegetable oil to reduce TCE concentrations in groundwater from over 17,000 parts per billion to less than 500 parts per billion today.

Potential health risks exist for individuals who ingest or come into direct contact with contaminated groundwater or soil. Because the NIROP site is fenced and no private wells are located in the nearby area, no residents are currently being exposed to the contaminants. Volatile organic compounds have not been detected in water from the city of Minneapolis municipal water intake pipe in the Mississippi River since the 1980s.

Site Updates | Latest Update | Fact Sheets || Technical Documents || Five-Year Reviews || Legal Agreements

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Site Updates

January 2013 Update

The property is being used as a manufacturing facility. The third five-year review was completed in 2008. The remedy at the site was found to be protective of human health and the environment in the short term. Several issues raised in the 2008 five-year review concerning the improvement of the long-term effectiveness of the groundwater remedy are now being addressed by the U.S. Navy under EPA and MPCA oversight. The next five-year review will be completed in October 2013.

Community Advisory Group Informational Session

EPA staff will host two CAG informational sessions (PDF) (1pg, 24MB) for Fridley residents on January 30, 2013. the first session will be held in room 109 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The second session will be held in the same room from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The workshop will give people a thorough overview of the CAG formation process.

CAGs give interested people an opportunity to participate in EPA’s Superfund process to clean up hazardous waste areas. At these upcoming sessions, EPA staff will provide information on how to form a CAG and choose its members. CAG membership is voluntary and participants should be willing to serve two-year terms. CAGs meet regularly to review site information and relay community views and concerns to the EPA. All CAG meetings are open to the public, and public input is encouraged. More information about CAGs.

If you have any questions or need special accommodations at this event contact EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Nefertiti DiCosmo 312-886-66148 or at dicosmo.nefertiti@epa.gov.

Community Interviews (December 2012)

EPA conducted 41 community interviews with Fridley area residents in December. Interviews were done one-on-one, with small groups, and over the telephone. From the interviews EPA will write a Community Involvement Plan. The plan is a road map for the EPA’s future involvement with the Fridley sites. It is a valuable resource for the citizens because it provides a description of the community involvement activities available to the public. It will be updated as necessary to remain consistent with the community’s needs