DoD – Report to the Congress Perchlorate in the Southwestern United States

In 2005, the DoD/Air Force deliberately misled Congress about the possibility of perchlorate from George AFB contaminating the aquifer used for drinking and irrigation water.

As early as 1982, the DoD knew that there were several sources for perchlorate contamination in the Southeast Disposal Area (SDEA). The SEDA is about a ¼ mile upstream of the drinking and irrigation water supply wells for George AFB, Adelanto, several homes/ranches, and the former Victor Valley Country Club. The groundwater flows to the northeast at George AFB (PDF) under the SEDA directly to the supply wells.

In 2004, the House Appropriations Committee required the DoD to identify all its current and former military bases that may have contaminated the groundwater with perchlorate.

In 2005, the DoD published the report the “Perchlorate in the Southwestern United States” in response to the House Appropriations Committee’s request. In the report, the DoD made the following statement about George AFB, “… it was determined by DoD that the potential for perchlorate releases was negligible, and that sampling for perchlorate was unnecessary.”

The Southeast Disposal Area (SEDA) had 12 Installation Restoration Program (IRP) sites (unpermitted dump-sites and unpermitted burn pits) containing: Avgas, VOCs, and weapons’ residue; industrial, chemicals, heavy metals, and/or radioactive wastes.

1. SS-52 (SEDA) – “Creosote Spill Area” – Creosote
2. DP-15 (SEDA) – “Munitions/Oil” – Perchlorates
3. DP-33 (SEDA) – “Munitions Burial” – Perchlorates
4. DP-34 (SEDA) – “Munitions Burial” – Perchlorates
5. WP-40 (SEDA) – “Chemical Toilet Sludge”
6. LF-07 (SEDA) – “Base Landfill”
   1. Grenade Range – Perchlorates, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)
7. LF-08 (SEDA) – “Tetraethyl Lead Disposal” – Avgas,  Tetraethyl Lead – Benzene – Ethylene dibromide (EDB)
8. DP-10 (SEDA) – “Landfill Cartridges” – Perchlorates
9. RW-09 (SEDA) – “Radioactive Disposal” – Radioactive Isotopes
10. SR-401 (SEDA) – “Small Arms Range” – Lead – Perchlorates
11. SR-401 (SEDA) – “40mm Grenade Range” – RDX – Perchlorates
12. XU-400 (SEDA) – “Old Borrow Area (OB/OD)”

The Air Force has repeatedly renamed these dumpsites.

DoD, July 2005

Executive Summary

This Report to Congress is submitted in response to a Congressional request for information on perchlorate groundwater contamination in and around the Colorado River, Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. This request was made by the House Appropriations Committee in House Report 108-187 [p97]:

“The Committee is aware of the controversy surrounding the evaluation of perchlorate contamination of groundwater in Southern California and other areas across the country. The Committee directs the Department to conduct a joint study with the Environmental Protection Agency of perchlorate groundwater contamination, to be completed within 180 days of the enactment of this Bill. This report will examine in detail perchlorate groundwater pollution in and around the Colorado River, San Bernardino County, the [Coachella] Valley, Santa Clara River and the Imperial Valley that threatens drinking and irrigation water supplies in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. This report will assess the breath and scope of contamination and make preliminary recommendations that will, at a minimum, include:

1. Recommendations for the establishment of a national standard for acceptable levels of perchlorate groundwater contamination;
2. Determination of the military/defense industry sources that have contributed to perchlorate contamination; and
3. Outline appropriate steps to be taken to mitigate or clean up those areas that are deemed to be the government’s responsibility.”

…

Former George AFB

The former George AFB is located in the southwestern portion of San Bernardino County, California, approximately 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles and adjacent to the cities of Adelanto and Victorville. The installation was selected for closure under the BRAC process in 1988 and was officially closed in December 1992. At closure, the installation consisted of 5,062 acres.

Established in 1941 as the Air Corp Advanced Flying School, the primary mission of the installation during World War II was flight training. In October 1945, all flying activities were discontinued and the base was placed on stand-by and temporary inactive status. With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, the installation was reactivated in June 1950 as George AFB. George AFB was assigned to the Air Defense Command, and later to the Tactical Air Command in 1950. The primary mission of the installation changed to defense interception, although flight training continued. During the Vietnam conflict, George AFB was one of the major Air Force training bases for combat-ready fighter crews.

Based on a preliminary review of the historic flight training mission of George AFB, it was determined by DoD that the potential for perchlorate releases was negligible, and that sampling for perchlorate was unnecessary.

https://denix.osd.mil/edqw/perchlorate/reports/perchlorate-southwest/

It should be noted that in 2004 Congress directed the DoD to identify all potential sources of perchlorate that may affect drinking and irrigation water supply wells. No test results for perchlorate contamination at George AFB were provided to ProPublica for this series that was published on November 30, 2017.

Site ID: DP015, MUNITIONS/OIL, Landfill

• Soil: Risk Not Evaluated
  • Contaminants: Radium 226 0.0027 mg/kg Thorium 228 0.0037 mg/kg DDE 0.01 mg/kg Toluene 0.013 mg/kg Methylene Chloride 0.029 mg/kg Chromium VI and compounds 0.2 mg/kg Mercury (Inorganic) 0.21 mg/kg Thallium 0.51 mg/kg Beryllium and compounds 1.3 mg/kg Selenium 1.9 mg/kg Phenol 2.2 mg/kg Molybdenum 5.5 mg/kg Cadmium and compounds 6.5 mg/kg Antimony and compounds 10.1 mg/kg Arsenic 19.0 mg/kg Chromium III 37.1 mg/kg Vanadium 77.1 mg/kg Nickel (Soluble Salts) 205.0 mg/kg Lead 300.0 mg/kg Barium 468.0 mg/kg Manganese and compounds 662.0 mg/kg Copper and compounds 662.0 mg/kg Aluminum 27600.0 mg/kg Iron 132000.0 mg/kg

Site ID: DP033, MUNITIONS, Landfill

• Groundwater: Risk Not Evaluated
  • Contaminants: Methylene Chloride 0.65 ug/L Acetone 1.8 ug/L Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)Phthalate 2.3 ug/L Beryllium and compounds 2.4 ug/L Arsenic 11.0 ug/L Lead 18.0 ug/L Cobalt 34.0 ug/L Copper and compounds 50.0 ug/L Nickel (Soluble Salts) 53.0 ug/L Chromium 85.0 ug/L Vanadium 220.0 ug/L Zinc 250.0 ug/L Barium 300.0 ug/L Fluoride 420.0 ug/L Manganese and compounds 1700.0 ug/L Phosphorus (white) 2100.0 ug/L Aluminum 50000.0 ug/L Iron 78300.0 ug/L
• Soil: Risk Not Evaluated
  • Contaminants: Beryllium and compounds 0.6933333333 mg/kg Benzenol 1.2333333333 mg/kg Selenium 1.9 mg/kg Nickel (Soluble Salts) 7.8 mg/kg

Site ID: DP034, MUNITIONS/BOMBS, Landfill

• Soil: Risk Not Evaluated
  • Contaminants: Radium 226 0.0027 mg/kg Thorium 228 0.0037 mg/kg DDE 0.01 mg/kg Toluene 0.013 mg/kg Methylene Chloride 0.029 mg/kg Chromium VI and compounds 0.2 mg/kg Mercury (Inorganic) 0.21 mg/kg Thallium 0.51 mg/kg Beryllium and compounds 1.3 mg/kg Selenium 1.9 mg/kg Phenol 2.2 mg/kg Molybdenum 5.5 mg/kg Cadmium and compounds 6.5 mg/kg Antimony and compounds 10.1 mg/kg Arsenic 19.0 mg/kg Chromium III 37.1 mg/kg Vanadium 77.1 mg/kg Nickel (Soluble Salts) 205.0 mg/kg Lead 300.0 mg/kg Barium 468.0 mg/kg Manganese and compounds 662.0 mg/kg Copper and compounds 662.0 mg/kg Aluminum 27600.0 mg/kg Iron 132000.0 mg/kg

Site ID: XU400, OLD BORROW AREA (OB/OD), Unexploded Munitions and Ordnance Area

• Soil: Risk Not Evaluated
  • Contaminants: Dibenzo(b,e)(1,4)dioxin,2,3,7,8-tetrachloro- 2.5e-07 mg/kg 1,2,3,7,8,9-Hexachlorodibenzeno- p-Dioxin 1.3e-06 mg/kg 1,3-Dinitrobenzene 0.016 mg/kg TNT 0.05 mg/kg 2,6-Dinitrotoluene 0.13 mg/kg Cadmium and compounds 1.4 mg/kg Dinitotoluene 1.7 mg/kg Molybdenum 2.2 mg/kg Nickel (Soluble Salts) 11.6 mg/kg Antimony and compounds 19.6 mg/kg Vanadium 24.0 mg/kg Chromium 35.1 mg/kg Trinitroglycerin 87.0 mg/kg Manganese and compounds 393.0 mg/kg Zinc 741.0 mg/kg Barium 746.0 mg/kg Lead 797.0 mg/kg Copper and compounds 1140.0 mg/kg Aluminum 22400.0 mg/kg

Site ID: XU402, 40MM GRENADE RANGE, Unexploded Munitions and Ordnance Area

• UXO – no data

Site ID: SR401, SMALL ARMS RANGE, Small Arms Range

• Soil: Risk Not Evaluated
  • Contaminants: Copper and compounds 0.012 mg/kg Dinitotoluene 0.1 mg/kg Aluminum 0.31 mg/kg Manganese and compounds 0.45 mg/kg Zinc 0.48 mg/kg Barium 1.2 mg/kg Trinitroglycerin 5.1 mg/kg Antimony and compounds 5.7 mg/kg Lead 597.0 mg/kg

ProPublica: Bombs in Your Backyard, by Lena Groeger, Ryann Grochowski Jones & Abrahm Lustgarten, November 30, 2017

“The data, which has never been released before, comes from the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, which the DOD administers to measure and document cleanup efforts at current and former military locations.”
https://www.propublica.org/article/reporting-recipe-bombs-in-your-backyard

They have a link to the raw data that they received from the Defense Environmental Restoration Program. Unfortunately, the data is in an Oracle “.dmp” format

https://www.propublica.org/datastore/dataset/defense-environmental-restoration-program-military-cleanup-sites