Arizona Superfund Site: Williams Air Force Base
Fight Air Pollution & Water Pollution With an Environmental Toxic Tort Lawsuit

Are you in need of a Toxic Tort Attorney in The Grand Cayon State? The US EPA has designated Williams Air Force Base in Arizona as a Superfund site because of its amounts of toxic pollution and threat to the natural world. You can read the report for the site below.

Some Superfund sites are on the National Priority Site Lists. The National Priorities List ("NPL") is the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial action financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protection Agency regulations outline a formal process for assessing hazardous waste sites and placing them on the NPL. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.

Sites are listed on the NPL upon completion of Hazard Ranking System (HRS) screening, public solicitation of comments about the proposed site, and after all comments have been addressed. EPA may delete a final NPL site if it determines that no further response is required to protect human health or the environment. Sites where a remediation was completed through the Superfund program are typically deleted from the NPL.

Living near Superfund Sites in Arizona may place you and the people you love more vulnerable to getting sick from exposure to the site and experiencing a loss of value for your property, but you can do something to to fight back: The EPA says,

[We have] set up a "Post Construction Completion" (or PCC) strategy to ensure that Superfund response actions provide for the long-term protection of human health and the environment. EPA's Post Construction Completion activities also involve optimizing remedies to increase effectiveness and/or reduce cost without sacrificing long-term protection of human health and the environment.

Below you can read the EPA report for the Williams Air Force Base Superfund site. If you, a loved one, or someone in your community has suffered due to exposure to a Superfund site Williams Air Force Base, or if your property has lost value because of pollution, you will need a toxic tort attorney who knows the people of the State of Arizona . Get started by filling out this simple form. There is no obligation, and your case will be evaluated within one day. To refer a friend, neighbor, or loved one, follow this link to let them know about the environmental toxic tort attorneys at Weitz & Luxenberg.

Williams Air Force Base

This site is a Federal Facility.

Updated: February 7, 2005

WILLIAMS AIR FORCE BASE
AZIZONA
EPA ID# AZ7570028582

EPA Region 9
City: Chandler
County: Maricopa
Other Names:

Site Responsibility:

This site is being addressed by the United States Air Force through a Federal Facilities Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the Arizona Department of Water Resources. The Air Force Project Manager responsible for Williams Air Force Base is Chris Morriss who can be reached at 210/925-0227.

NPL LISTING HISTORY

Proposed Date:07/14/1989

Final Date:11/21/1989

Deleted Date:

Groundwater contains LNAPL and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Soils contain various VOCs, PCBs, and pesticides from past disposal practices. Accidental ingestion of contaminated soil and groundwater is a potential health hazard.

Initial Actions: A portion of the Southwest Drainage System was stabilized in 1988 by installing a soil, cement, and concrete cap on the ditch. In 1991, a small pesticide drum burial site was excavated and disposed of off site. Radiological materials were removed from another burial site and disposed of in late 1992. The removal of approximately 20 underground storage tanks at the liquid fuels storage area was conducted during late 1990 and early 1991, eliminating the source of liquid fuel leaks.

Entire Site: Under EPA oversight, the Air Force completed an investigation of the nature and extent of the contamination at all impacted areas of the base. Following the investigation, a remedy was chosen that included installation of a permeable landfill cap over the landfill portion of the site.

Liquid Storage Area: In 1990, an investigation into the type and extent of contamination was initiated at the waste liquids storage area. At the conclusion of the investigation in late 1992, a remedy was chosen that involves pumping and treating the groundwater contamination, with reinjection of the treated groundwater. Treatability tests have indicated that pump treat technology may not be feasible. A Focused Feasibility Study (FFS) report was completed and submitted to the regulatory agencies in 1999 which recommended monitored natural attenuation with future studies to evaluate new technologies as they become available. Both the USEPA and the State of Arizona rejected the FFS report. To avoid a formal dispute resolution phase, the Air Force agreed to add Thermally Enhanced Extraction as a component of the groundwater remedy to enhance effectiveness and feasibility of the selected remedy to address LNAPL and dissolved phase contamination. From 2002 to 2005, the Air Force spent over 3 million dollars in the design and construction of this remedy. In a turn-around of events, on February 1, 2005 the Air Force notified EPA that funding to operate the remedy was not approved. Furthermore, the Air Force explained that it unilaterally amended their funding criteria which removed the Liquid Fuel Storage Area from funding eligibility. This latest move by the Air Force causes EPA to question their intent of future implementation of the selected remedy. EPA is exploring enforcement options.

Landfill LF004. The main landfill of the former base, Site LF004 was capped with soil and covered with river rock. In 1997 groundwater monitoring identified contaminants (TCE and PCE) leaching out of the landfill and migrating off-site. A supplemental investigation in 2000 was unsuccessful in determining the exact source of the leaching. Meanwhile contaminated concentrations decreased. However, in 2004 contaminant levels began to climb above regulatory levels again. As of February 2005, the plume of contamination is undefined and appears to be moving off-site. The Air Force has agreed to install additional monitoring wells to help delineate the leading edge of contamination.

Site FT002. At this fire training site, all structures, piping, and 117 cubic yards of surface soil were removed and transported to approved off-site disposal areas. In addition, contaminant concentrations in 25,000 cubic feet of contaminated subsurface soil were reduced through bioventing. Bioventing didn't bring the contamination in deeper soil to levels that would allow unrestricted use. However, the Air Force conducted a risk assessment, in accordance with State and Federal regulations, based on the actual industrial use of the property. The risk assessment showed that existing conditions, combined with land use controls (i.e. prohibiting deep excavations), would constitute an acceptable remedy for the Site.

The Air Force submitted a Draft Record of Decision Amendment to EPA with land use controls as part of the remedy. The Air Force then prepared and public noticed a Proposed Plan which removed the land use controls from the remedy. As of February 7, 2005 the Proposed Plan comment period for Operable Unit 3, FT002 Proposed Plan is ongoing. The EPA does not concur with the remedy without inclusion of land use controls.

Cleaning the Southwest Drainage System and removing pesticide drums, radiological materials, and underground storage tanks have reduced the potential for exposure to contaminated materials at the Williams Air Force Base site while studies are taking place and cleanup activities are being planned.

The public information repositories for the site are at the following locations:

Chandler Public Library,
75 East Commonwealth,
Chandler, AZ 85225

The most complete collection of documents is the official EPA site file, maintained at the following location:

Superfund Records Center
Mail Stop SFD-7C
95 Hawthorne Street, Room 403
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 536-2000

Enter main lobby of 75 Hawthorne street, go to 4th floor of South Wing Annex.

EPA SITE MANAGER:

Michael Wolfram

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

(415) 972-3027

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

wolfram.michael@epa.gov

EPA COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

1-800-231-3075

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER:

(415) 947-8701

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

r9.info@epamail.epa.gov

STATE CONTACT:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

PRP CONTACT:

Chris Morriss

ADDRESS:

Air Force Real Property Agency, San Antonio, TX

PHONE NUMBER:

210-925-0227

COMMUNITY CONTACT:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

State Environmental Protection Agency

US Environmental Protection Agency

(800) 852-7550

(800) 424-8802

STATE:

AZ

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

01

EPA ORGANIZATION:

SFD-8-3

• Site Description and History

•  Maps
•  Images

•  Description
•  Environmental Data

•  Response Action Status

EPA SITE MANAGER:

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EPA COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:

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PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER:

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STATE CONTACT:

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PRP CONTACT:

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COMMUNITY CONTACT:

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STATE:

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EPA ORGANIZATION:

source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Act Now! It is essential that you inquire about your pollutant lawsuit as soon as possible. Arizona law may limit your time to bring a legal claim to protect your rights. Your legal review is free and there is no commitment. You case will be evaluated immediately, so get started on your claim today!

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see also:

Phoenix-Goodyear Airport Area Environmental Pollution in Arizona- Site: Phoenix-Goodyear Airport Area
Phoenix-Goodyear Airport Area Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution

Indian Bend Wash Area Environmental Pollution in Arizona- Site: Indian Bend Wash Area
Indian Bend Wash Area Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution

AZ Environmental Pollution Lawsuit: Arizona Superfund Sites
Legal information for environmental pollution lawsuit in Arizona.