Site Name: BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION
EPA ID: ME8170022018 EPA Region: 01 Metro Statistical Area:
RTE 24 AND 123, BRUNSWICK, ME 04011
Operable Unit:
ROD ID: EPA/ROD/R01-94/089 ROD Date: 09/30/94
Contaminant: vinyl chloride, DCE, DCA
O&M Costs: $434,000 Estimated Costs: $434,000
Keys: Groundwater contamination, natural attenuation, monitoring, institutional controls
Abstract:
Please note that the text in this document summarizes the Record of Decision for the purposes of facilitating searching and retrieving key text on the ROD. It is not the officially approved abstract drafted by the EPA Regional offices. Once EPA Headquarters receives the official abstract, this text will be replaced.
The Brunswick Naval Air Station is located in Brunswick, Maine. The base is located south of the Androscoggin River between Brunswick and Bath, Maine. The land surrounding the base is primarily residential, with some commercial and light industrial uses.
NAS Brunswick is an active facility that supports the U.S. Navy's antisubmarine warfare operations in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The base's primary mission is to operate and maintain Orion aircraft. Based on historical information, Site 9 was defined as three areas of potential contamination: (1) the former location of an incinerator in the northeast corner of Building 220, and an inactive landfill/dump area in the current location of Buildings 218 and 219; (2) a reported disposal area behind Building 201; and (3) the two streams bordering the recreational area behind Building 201.
In 1987, NAS Brunswick was placed on the NPL. The Navy identified the groundwater at Site 9 as a distinct area of contamination. In 1990, the Navy entered into a Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) with EPA and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection regarding the cleanup of contamination at the site. As part of the RI for Site 9, the Navy conducted field activities and environmental sampling in 1988 and 1990. In 1993, additional investigations were conducted by the Navy to better evaluate the septic system as a source of groundwater contamination and former incinerator and ash landfill dump area. An FS for Site 9 was submitted to the regulatory agencies for review. A Technical Memorandum was prepared in May 1994 describing the results of field investigations of the septic system and former ash landfill/dump area at Site 9. This document concludes that, to date, no distinct source area of groundwater contamination could be identified at Site 9.
The selected interim remedy for Site 9 at NAS Brunswick was developed to address the groundwater operable unit while additional source investigations are conducted.
Remedy:
The interim remedial action includes: allowing remediation of groundwater through natural attenuation; providing long-term environmental monitoring of groundwater, surface water, sediment, and leachate seeps to measure changes in contaminant concentrations due to natural attenuation; placing institutional controls to prevent exposure to contaminated groundwater; and performing five year reviews.