Oklahoma Superfund Site: Tinker Air Force Base (Soldier Creek/Building 3001)
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Do you need a Toxic Tort Lawyer in The Sooner State? The EPA has designated Tinker Air Force Base (Soldier Creek/Building 3001) in Oklahoma as a Superfund site due to its levels of environmental toxins 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 Oklahoma may place you and your loved ones at risk of developing a disease from proximity to the site and experiencing a loss of value for your property, but action is being taken 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.However, most of the Superfund sites continue to pose a threat the health of those near-by.
By choosing Weitz & Luxenberg, you will get the legal ability of skilled Toxic Tort lawyers who will help fight back against polluters and get you and your loved ones the financial compensation and environmental remediation to which you are entitled.
Below you can read the EPA report for the Tinker Air Force Base (Soldier Creek/Building 3001) Superfund site. If you, a loved one, or someone in your community has gotten sick due to toxic pollution in Tinker Air Force Base (Soldier Creek/Building 3001), 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 Oklahoma . You can begin the process of filing a claim by filling out this simple form. There is no obligation, and your case will be evaluated within 24 hours. To refer a friend, neighbor, or loved one, follow this link to let them know about the environmental toxic tort lawyers at Weitz & Luxenberg.
Tinker Air Force Base (Soldier Creek/Building 3001)
This site is a Federal Facility.
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE 1 EPA Publication Date: October 4, 2005
(Soldier Creek/Building 3001)
Tinker Air
Force Base
(Soldier Creek/
Building 3001)
Oklahoma
Epa Id# Ok1571724391
Site ID: 0601510
Epa Region 6
Congressional District 04
Oklahoma County
Other Names:
USAF Tinker Air Force Base
Updated: September 2005
Site Description
Location:• Oklahoma City metropolitan area
• Site is located on southeast edge of metropolitan area contiguous with Midwest City
Population:• Oklahoma County 660,000.
Setting:• Tinker AFB covers over 5,000 acres and contains approximately 500 buildings.
• The NPL Site currently has 4 Operable Units.
• The Building 3001 area of Tinker AFB is a major aircraft rebuilding/refurbishing facility,
with a history of using large quantities of industrial solvents.
• Building 3001 and Soldier Creek Operable Units defined the original boundaries of the
Superfund Site. The Industrial Waste Treatment Plant (IWTP) and Soldier Creek
Groundwater Operable Units were added to better investigate the contamination.
Hydrology: • Tinker AFB is located in the recharge zone of the Garber-Wellington Aquifer.
• Groundwater can be found at depths as shallow as 20 feet, but Base water supplies are
drawn from depths of 270 + feet.
Present Status and Issues
• The EPA and the Air Force are participating in technical exchange meetings with the Oklahoma State
regulatory authority (ODEQ) to gain feedback and consensus on the Remedial Investigation, Risk
Assessment and Feasibility Studies for the groundwater operable units.
Wastes and Volumes
• The principal pollutants at the NPL Site are chlorinated solvents and hexavalent chromium.
• The shallow groundwater layers are contaminated with solvents and metals from past industrial activities.
• A Groundwater Treatment Plant (GWTP) that extracts contaminated groundwater from the Building 3001
Operable Unit has been in continuous operation since 1994.
Site Assessment and Ranking
Npl Listing History
Site HRS Score: 42.24
Proposed Date: 3/29/85
Final Date: 7/22/87
NPL Update: No. 3
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE 2 EPA Publication Date: October 4, 2005
(Soldier Creek/Building 3001)
Removals: • Removal of Underground Storage Tanks (7/85)
• Removal of Contaminated Soil from on-base areas of Soldier Creek (11/85 and 12/99)
• Removal of fuel product, VOCs and metals from groundwater
• Plug and abandonment of 2 water supply wells
• Removal and closure of various pits inside Building 3001
Site Map and Diagram
The Remediation Process
Site History:
• 1942 - Base activated with a primary past and current mission to serve as a worldwide repair depot for
aircraft and associated equipment. This is a Government owned facility.
• On-Base disposal of industrial wastes occurred from 1942 until 1979. Off-Base disposal since 1979.
• EPA and the Air Force signed a Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) in 8 December 1988.
• The original NPL operable units were the Building 3001 and the Soldier Creek Operable Units.
• Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) activities were performed at the Building 3001 Operable
Unit from 1982 to 1986.
• The Building 3001 RI was completed 9/87, FS was completed 9/89.
• A Proposed Plan for the Building 3001 Operable Unit was published 5/90.
• The RI/FS for the Soldier Creek Operable Unit was completed. Additional groundwater contamination
was found during that investigation that resulted in defining the Soldier Creek Groundwater Operable Unit
and the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant (IWTP) Operable Unit.
• Soldier Creek Proposed Plan published 4/93.
• The Proposed Plan for the Soldier Creek Operable Unit was finalized, the Soldier Creek public comment
period began 4/93 and the Record of Decision was signed on 14 September 1993.
• Soldier Creek Ecological Risk Assessment began 9/94.
• The IWTP and Soldier Creek Groundwater Operable Units RIs began 9/94.
• The Groundwater Treatment Plant (GWTP) for the Building 3001 Operable Unit began continuous
operation in 1994. Long-term remedial action is on-going.
• The Soldier Creek Ecological Risk Assessment, part of the Soldier Creek Surface and Sediment
Remedy, was approved in 11/96.
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE 3 EPA Publication Date: October 4, 2005
(Soldier Creek/Building 3001)
• The Air Force submitted the Final Remedial Investigation and the Draft Final Risk Assessment for the
Soldier Creek Groundwater and IWTP Ground Water Operable Units 7/98.
* The Final Risk Assessment for the Soldier Creek Groundwater and IWTP Groundwater Operable Units
was finalized in 3/2000.
Health Considerations:
• Tinker AFB uses 24 water supply wells from the Garber-Wellington Aquifer to supplement the Base water
supply system.
Record of Decision
Signed: August 16, 1990 for Building 3001
September 14, 1993 for Soldier Creek
• The Building 3001 Record of Decision (ROD) addresses the Building 3001 Operable Unit’s groundwater
contamination, closure of Pit Q-51 and remediation of underground storage tanks in the North Tank Area.
• Ground Water: Pump and treat with industrial reuse of treated water.
• North Tank Area: Remediation of soil using vapor extraction with thermal destruction and free-product
removal of petroleum products.
• Pit No. Q-51: Remove liquids, clean and seal the pit with off-site disposal of contaminated pit material.
Other Remedies Considered Reason Not Chosen
1. "No Action" Did not meet remedial objectives
2. Exterior Pumping. Did not remove contaminants with highest concentration.
3. Discharge to Soldier Creek. Not accepted by OSDH and community.
• Building 3001 and Soldier Creek must meet Superfund requirements.
•Water supply wells 18 and 19 west of Building 3001 were plugged on September 26, 1986.
• Interagency Agreement with Air Force became effective May 2l, l989.
• Pit Q51: Liquids removed and pit cleaned. Pit backfilled and capped September 18, 1990.
• North Tank Area: recovery of fuel product began June 10, 1991
Community Involvement
• Community Involvement Plan: Developed by Tinker AFB
• Open houses and workshops: 9/89 (RI); Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
11/94; Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) 12/94, later extended to Community Advisory Board (CAB) 1/95;
Installation Tour 4/95; 9/2003.
• Building 3001 Proposed Plan Fact Sheet: 3/90; Soldier Creek Proposed Plan Fact Sheet: 4/93
• Building 3001 Public Meeting: 4/90; Soldier Creek Public Meeting: 4/93
• Building 3001 ROD: 8/16/90; Soldier Creek ROD: 9/14/93
• Milestone Press Release: 1/91
• Site Repository: Midwest City Public Library, 8143 West Reno Avenue,
Midwest City, OK 73110
• Applications for the Restoration Advisory Board were received in January 1995, selected in 2/95. First
meeting was held 2/28/95.
• Community Advisory Board meetings are held semi-annually at the Midwest City Public Library.
Technical Assistance Grant
• Availability Notice: 6/2/89
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE 4 EPA Publication Date: October 4, 2005
(Soldier Creek/Building 3001)
• Letters of Intent (LOI) Received: 5/9/89, 7/6/89
1) Environmental Pollution and Health Concerns Coalition (EPHCC) on 5/9/89
2) Soldier Creek Citizens Environmental Group (SSCEG) on 7/6/89
• SSCEG Letter of Intent (LOI) was terminated on 2/1/90 for non-response.
• Draft Application Received: EPHCC submitted draft application for TAG on 11/27/89.
• Final Application Received: None - EPA Comments on draft forwarded on 1/15/90, no final application
ever received despite EPA outreach and assistance.
• Grant Award: N/A
• Current Status: TAG availability was re-advertised 3/29/91. No additional LOIs received to date and no
TAG was awarded.
Contact Information
• Remedial Project Manager (EPA): Michael A. Hebert, 214/665-8315, Mail Sta. 6SF-LP
• State Contact: Robert Replogle, 405/271-7158, ODEQ
• Community Involvement (EPA): Michael A. Hebert, 214/665-8315, Mail Sta. 6SF-LP
• Attorney (EPA): George Malone, 214/665-8030, Mail Sta. 6RC-S
• EPA Community Involvement Liaison: Arnold Ondarza, 1-800-533-3508, EPA (6SF)
• State Coordinator (EPA): Roberta Hirt, 214/665-8079, Mail Sta. 6SF-LT
Benefits
• Remediation of the groundwater at the Building 3001 Site will reduce environmental risks posed to the
Garber-Wellington Aquifer.
• The GWTP provides roughly 200,000 gallons/day of water for industrial processes inside Building 3001.
• The remedy selected for the Soldier Creek Operable Unit includes monitoring and risk evaluations to
ensure that no risk to human health or the environment develops in the creek.
• The risk assessment and remedial action objectives are based on continued controlled and use by the
military. Additional risk assessments and remedial actions may need to be conducted to accommodate
non-military future users.
source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Act Now! It is essential that you inquire about your pollutant lawsuit as soon as possible. Oklahoma 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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