JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Joint Base Andrews has a proud heritage of defending the nation's capital. Since the base's beginning, servicemembers have been hard at work, utilizing the world's most advanced technologies and war-fighting machines.
In pursuit of the mission- fuels, solvents, and other chemicals were spilled here. These spills occurred especially during the mid-twentieth century, when environmental awareness and regulations were not what they are today.
The Environmental Restoration Program team, which is part of the 11th Civil Engineer Squadron, has been working diligently to clean up these old spills which have impacted the groundwater and soils beneath Joint Base Andrews. The team is proud to announce that the final remedy, an impermeable cap along with an innovative groundwater treatment system, has been installed on Leroy's Lane Landfill (LF-05).
Leroy's Lane Landfill is located in the southeast corner of Joint Base Andrews, and was used as a landfill and disposal area from the late 1950s through the 1980s. During that time, a large variety of base-generated wastes were disposed of at LF-05 to include, but not limited to: sludge from wastewater treatment operations, liquid solvents, waste oils, general refuse, construction rubble, fly ash, and municipal waste.
Underground storage tanks containing waste oil were also utilized at the site and several trenches were excavated and used for the placement of waste materials. The landfill was later covered with clean fill and is currently inactive.
Unfortunately, spills, leaks, and storage practices common to that era resulted in the release of solvents and fuels into the groundwater.
After extensive investigation of the site, the Joint Base Andrews ERP team (consisting of geologist, engineers, and environmental remediation contractors) negotiated with federal, state and county regulators on the best method to contain the contamination and implement a cleanup remedy for the landfill. In April 2009, a remedy was agreed upon.
An innovative underground funnel and gate treatment system was constructed to address the migrating groundwater plume.
This system consists of two underground walls made of impermeable clay. These walls block the flow of groundwater from under the landfill and force it through two underground treatment zones where the contamination is treated as groundwater flows through them.
A composite cap, consisting of a thick plastic liner and soil, was placed over the landfill to eliminate the infiltration of water. The cap will be seeded with grasses native to Maryland this spring.
The ERP team wants to thank everyone at Joint Base Andrews who helped with this effort. A special thanks goes out to the 11th Security Forces Squadron, who coordinated with the team to build a temporary fence during the construction process.