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Fact Sheet
May 2008
EPA Announces Public Availability Meeting and 30-Day Comment Period, Des Moines (ex) Ordnance Plant Superfund Site, Ankeny, Iowa
INTRODUCTION
The United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7, is hosting a public availability meeting on Thursday, May 29, 2008, at the Lakeside Recreation Center, 400 Lakeshore Drive, Ankeny, Iowa. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the local community with information about the Des Moines (ex) Ordnance Plant Superfund Site (DMOP).
During the availability meeting, representatives from the EPA, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), state and local health agencies, and the city of Ankeny will be available to answer questions from the public. EPA will respond to questions related to the 38-acre lagoon/landfill portion of the site and will also conduct a short overview of planned activities.
SITE BACKGROUND
The DMOP is a former World War II ammunition production facility located approximately five miles north of Des Moines, Iowa, and adjoins the southwestern city limits of Ankeny, Iowa. The site was made up of two properties that served different functions. One property, the Accuracy Range, covered an area of 2,029 acres and was used primarily for ammunition testing. The other portion of the property consisted of approximately 2,420 acres and was used for manufacturing.
PUBLIC AVAILABILITY MEETING
You are invited to attend an EPA public availability meeting to learn more about the Des Moines (ex) Ordnance Plant Superfund Site. The meeting is scheduled:
Thursday, May 29, 2008
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Lakeside Center, Hawkeye Park
400 N.W. Lakeshore Drive
Ankeny, Iowa
The manufacturing portion of the DMOP is currently bound by Southwest Third Street and Ordnance Road to the north, Highway 69 to the east and Highway 415 to the south and west. The 38-acre lagoon/landfill complex is located on the former DMOP manufacturing facility property.
The DMOP manufactured ammunition from 1941 to 1945. After the war, the John Deere Corporation purchased 586 acres of the 4,400-acre property. This purchase included the 38-acre lagoon/landfill complex which was used by the John Deere Corporation until 1965. The lagoon/landfill property was deeded to the city of Ankeny in 1965, and was used as a landfill until it was closed in 1971. However, the sewage treatment lagoon complex remained in operation until 1991. John Deere currently operates the John Deere Des Moines Works Plant, which is approximately one mile north of the lagoon/landfill complex.
The DMOP is the location of the planned Prairie Trails residential and commercial redevelopment. The city of Ankeny has determined that the lagoon/landfill complex portion of the site will be the location of a park and greenspace.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS SITE INVESTIGATIONS
- January 1985, EPA conducted a site investigation of the lagoon/landfill complex.
- July 1987, EPA installed monitoring wells and conducted a second investigation of the lagoon/landfill complex to assess possible migration of contaminants.
- 1998 and 1999, EPA collected samples from monitoring wells.
- March 2004, EPA completed sampling to determine the nature and extent of contaminants present at the DMOP.
- April 2005, EPA conducted a removal assessment at the lagoon/landfill complex.
- May and November 2005, EPA completed additional site evaluation activities and confirmed the sampling results.
Based on the results of previous environmental samplings, a variety of contaminants were found at the lagoon/landfill complex. Chromium, copper, lead, and arsenic have been detected in soils and sediments at the site. Groundwater samples collected from monitoring wells also contained elevated concentrations of primarily metals including chromium, copper, lead, and arsenic.
In 2007, EPA prepared a risk assessment and preliminary cleanup goals for the lagoon/landfill complex. The objective of the risk assessment is to evaluate current and future human health risks from exposure to contaminants at the lagoon/landfill complex. Additionally, the assessment is used to develop preliminary cleanup goals for contaminants that may pose unacceptable human health risks. Based on the results of this assessment, EPA believes that a response action is necessary at the lagoon/landfill complex.
In 2004, EPA and IDNR agreed to share oversight responsibility for a cleanup action at the DMOP. The manufacturing plant is currently owned and operated by John Deere. EPA is the lead agency for oversight of cleanup actions at the lagoon/landfill complex. IDNR is overseeing cleanup actions at the remainder of the site.
CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN
Various types of wastes were disposed of at the lagoon/landfill complex. These included liquid and solid process wastes from ammunition production activities; John Deere’s manufacturing operations, and municipal wastes. Investigations indicate that contaminants of concern at the lagoon/landfill complex are primarily chromium, copper, lead and arsenic.
EPA PROPOSED CLEANUP ACTIONS
EPA’s response at the 38-acre lagoon/landfill complex will include the
following actions:
- Perform design investigations to determine the full extent of soil excavation needed, and to determine the best location for long-term monitoring wells after the landfill is capped.
- Perform groundwater and soil investigations to define the nature and extent of contamination.
- Remove contaminated soils, sediments, and liquids from lagoons above health-based levels of concern;
- Cap the landfill with a multilayer cover system which will:
- Prevent direct contact with, and ingestion of, contaminated soil/landfill contents.
- Control landfill surface water runoff and erosion.
- Minimize or prevent the migration of contamination to the groundwater and surface water.
- Perform routine maintenance of the capped area and conduct routine groundwater monitoring.
- Implement institutional controls to protect and maintain the landfill cover, and restrict land and groundwater uses.
- These cleanup actions will address contamination at the lagoon/landfill, and will reduce the threat to human health and the environment. This removal action will also be protective for the future reuse of the lagoon/landfill complex portion of the DMOP.
EPA is currently negotiating an agreement with John Deere, the city of Ankeny, and the Corps of Engineers for the performance of the lagoon/landfill complex cleanup. EPA will oversee all cleanup actions to be performed at this portion of the site.
30-DAY COMMENT PERIOD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD
EPA has compiled an Administrative Record for the DMOP site. The Administrative Record includes numerous documents that are instrumental in formulating the response activities.
The public is encouraged to comment on the proposed response action at the lagoon/landfill complex. After the public comment period ends, EPA will make a final decision and issue an Action Memorandum. The Action Memorandum is the document that explains the agency’s final cleanup decision.
The Administrative Record is available for review and public comment during a 30-day comment period from May 29, 2008 – June 29, 2008.
The Administrative Record is available for review at the following locations during normal business hours:
Kirkendall Public Library
Attention: Myrna Anderson
1210 N.W. Prairie Ridge Drive
Ankeny, Iowa 50023
EPA Region 7
901 N. Fifth Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
Comments and additional questions should be submitted to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Attn: Belinda Young
Community Involvement Coordinator
Office of Public Affairs
901 N. Fifth Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
Toll Free (800) 223-0425
young.belinda@epa.gov
