[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1151-E1152]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CLEANUP OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ARSENAL

______

HON. PATRICIA SCHROEDER

of colorado

in the house of representatives

Thursday, May 25, 1995
Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, one of the Nation's most notorious
military environmental problems just took a big step forward. The World
War II-era Rocky Mountain Arsenal, located in my district, manufactured
and stored chemical munitions. It later leased land to Shell Chemical
Co. for pesticide production. Thirty years of haphazard chemical
disposal by both resulted in a surface and ground water mess that vexed
Federal, military, State, and corporate leaders who faced complicated
cleanup questions.
Many of those questions were answered with the release yesterday of a
tentative conceptual cleanup strategy. I wish to submit into the record
that agreement. It can be reviewed by a wide audience and can provide
necessary background as this project seeks continued funding from a
diminishing defense environmental restoration account.
The remarkable fact about this agreement is the 6-year, painstaking
negotiations undertaken to get there. Bitter pills were swallowed by
all. And days of fine tuning are still ahead. But the real winner is
human health and the environment. I wish to applaud the negotiators who
gave years of blood, sweat and tears to reach the following agreement.
Mr. Speaker, here follows a milestone.
Rocky Mountain Arsenal Remedy Negotiations, Embassy Suites Hotel, SE
Denver, May 9-11, 1995

conceptual agreement components

(Please refer to attached map for site locations.)

Background

This proposal represents a tentative conceptual agreement
between the U.S. Army, Shell Oil Company, the state of
Colorado, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the cleanup of the Rocky
Mountain Arsenal. The conceptual remedy was reached based
upon ongoing discussions during the past six months, which
included stakeholders, and on the past studies performed at
the Arsenal as part of the Superfund process. This tentative
conceptual agreement is contingent on the successful
resolution of issues yet to be resolved by the parties.

Timetable for Ongoing Process

Assuming continued resolution of issues between the
parties, a new Detailed Analysis [[Page E1152]] of
Alternatives (DAA) will be issued by the Army within the next
six months. Concurrently, a Proposed Plan for the on-post
cleanup will be issued for public review and comment.
Stakeholder involvement will continue during this process. A
closure plan for Basin F will be finalized within the next
six months as well.
1. Future Hazardous Waste Landfill (RCRA).
A new on-site, state-of-the-art hazardous waste landfill
will be constructed in an agreed-upon location between Former
Basin F and North Plants. One cell (approximately 750,000
cubic yards) of this landfill will have an enhanced design
and will contain contaminated soil from the Basin F Waste
Pile and Lime Basins. This landfill will accept material only
from the Arsenal.
2. Former Basin F.
Principal threat soil will be treated in-place using
solidification to a depth of 10 feet.
A RCRA-equivalent cap with biota barrier will be
constructed over the former basin to prevent contact with
remaining human health exceedence soil and to minimize
further groundwater contamination.
3. Basin F Waste Pile.
Waste pile soil, including the bottom liners, will be
excavated and placed in an enhanced cell at the future on-
site, state-of-the-art hazardous waste landfill designed for
approximately 750,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil (to
include Basin F Waste Pile and Lime Basin soil).
If the waste pile soil exceeds EPA's paint filter test,
moisture content will be reduced to acceptable levels by
using a dryer in an enclosed structure. Volatile organic
compounds from the drying process will be captured and
treated.
Additional odor controls will be employed as necessary.
4.Basin A
To reduce the amount of clean soil used for fill from other
portions of the Arsenal, excavated biota exceedence soil from
other sites at the Arsenal will be placed in Basin A as fill
material under the cap.
Structural debris on the Arsenal, except agent-contaminated
building material and pesticide-contaminated building
material (unless pesticide-contaminated building material is
washed), may be placed in Basin A as fill material.
Contaminated soil (both principal threat and human health
exceedence soil), structural debris on the Arsenal, and
Arsenal biota exceedence soil will be entombed under 6 inches
of concrete and a soil cover.
5. South Plants Central Processing Area.
Principal threat and human health exceedence soil will be
excavated to a depth of 5 feet and placed in the future on-
site, state-of-the-art hazardous waste landfill.
A soil cover with a biota barrier will be constructed over
the site to isolate remaining contamination.
6. Balance of South Plants Areas.
Principal threat and human health exceedence soil will be
excavated and placed in the future on-site, state-of-the-art
hazardous waste landfill.
Biota exceedence soil will be excavated for use as fill
material in Basin A.
7. North Plants.
Human health exceedence soil will be excavated and placed
in the future on-site, state-of-the-art hazardous waste
landfill.
8. Pits and Trenches.
A. Complex (Army) Trenches: Construction of a slurry wall
around the Trenches and a RCRA-equivalent cap with biota
barrier (6 inches of concrete) will prevent contact with
contaminated soil and will minimize further groundwater
contamination.
A groundwater pump and treat system will be installed and
operated to intercept the Section 36 Bedrock Ridge Plume
until the plume is hydrologically controlled.
B. Shell Trenches: Expansion of the current slurry wall
around the Trenches and a RCRA-equivalent cap with biota
barrier will prevent contact with contaminated soil and will
minimize further groundwater contamination.
C. M-1 Pits: Principal threat and human health exceedence
soil will be excavated and treated via a solidification
technology. Treated soil will be placed in the future on-
site, state-of-the-art hazardous waste landfill.
D. Hex Pits: Principal threat soils will be treated with a
yet-to-be-agreed-upon technology.
E. Lime Basin: Principal threat and human health exceedence
soil will be excavated and placed in the future on-site,
state-of-the-art hazardous waste landfill.
F. Burial Trenches: Human health exceedence soil will be
excavated and placed in the future on-site, state-of-the-art
hazardous waste landfill.
9. Ditches, etc.
A. Sand creek Lateral: Human health exceedence soil will be
excavated and placed in the future on-site, state-of-the-art
hazardous waste landfill; biota exceedence soil will be
excavated and used as fill material in Basin A.
B. Buried lake sediments: Human health exceedence soil will
be excavated and placed in the future on-site, state-of-the-
art hazardous waste landfill.
C. South Plants Ditches: Principal threat and human health
exceedence soil will be excavated and placed in the future
on-site, state-of-the-art hazardous waste landfill.
Biota exceedence soil will be excavated and used as fill
material in Basin A.
10. Secondary Basins: Human health exceedence soil will be
excavated and placed in the future on-site, state-of-the-art
hazardous waste landfill.
Biota exceedence soil will be excavated and used as fill
material in Basin A.
11. Chemical Sewers: Chemical sewer lines (typically buried
deeper than 6 feet) and manholes located in the South Plants
Central Processing Area will be plugged with concrete. A soil
cover with a biota barrier will be placed at the surface.
These actions will eliminate access to the lines and minimize
further groundwater contamination.
In areas outside the South Plants Central Processing Area,
human health exceedence soil associated with the sewers will
be excavated and placed in the future on-site, state-of-the-
art hazardous waste landfill.
12. Structures: Demolish all contaminated structures.
In order to minimize use of clean soil for fill material in
Basin A, building debris could be placed into Basin A for
fill, except agent-contaminated building material and
pesticide-contaminated building material (unless pesticide-
contaminated building material is washed).
13. Munitions: Munitions and munition debris in formerly
used testing sites will be located and excavated. Excavated
debris and associated soil will be placed in the future on-
site, state-of-the-art hazardous waste landfill. If
explosives-containing munitions are found, they are to be
taken to the closest on-post site for detonation. If not
considered safe for removal and transport, they are to be
detonated in place.
14. Groundwater: The Army's proposal in the Detailed
Analysis of Alternatives (DAA) was agreed upon. In addition,
Basin A and South Plants Central Processing areas will not be
de-watered (also, see points on Complex (Army) Trenches
above).
Major components of the Army's DAA proposal include:
Continued operation of all existing groundwater pump and
treat systems including the three boundary systems (Irondale,
Northwest Boundary and North Boundary Control Systems) and
interim response action systems (Motor Pool and Rail
Classification Yard Extraction System, Basin F Groundwater,
IRA, Basin A Neck IRA and Off-post System).
South Plants Tank Farm plume groundwater will be treated
with an in-situ biological process.
Additional issues under ``Issues Yet To Be Resolved''
section remain to be resolved.
15. Alternative Water Supply: 4,000 acre feet and
distribution system for residents (area yet to be
determined).

issues still being discussed include:

1. Soil Volumes
2. Existing (sanitary) Landfills
3. Assorted Groundwater Issues, including: Point of
compliance, cleanup levels for additional compounds and
application of Colorado Basic Groundwater Standards.
4. The Appropriate Remedy for Surficial Soils, Other
Ditches, Lake Sediments
5. Assorted Off-Post Issues such as:
A. Off-post soils
B. Montbello soil sampling
C. Health Screening