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Naval Submarine Base New London

Environmental Restoration Program Public Website

Background

Naval Submarine Base - New London (NSB-NLON) currently provides a base command for submarine activities in the Atlantic Ocean. It also provides housing for Navy personnel and their families, support submarine training facilities, military offices, medical facilities, and facilities for submarine maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

NSB-NLON includes approximately 687 acres of real property located on the eastern bank of the Thames River in the Towns of Groton and Ledyard, Connecticut, approximately 6 miles north of Long Island sound. NSB-NLON is bounded on the east by Connecticut Route 12, on the south by Crystal Lake Road, and on the west by the Thames River. The northern border is a low ridge that trends approximately east-southeast from the Thames River to Baldwin Hill. Currently, NSB NLON consists of over 300 buildings

Land use adjacent to the base is residential and commercial. Residential development along Military Highway, Sleepy Hollow, Long Cove Road, and Pinelock Drive borders the site to the north and extends northward into the Gales Ferry section of Ledyard. Property along Route 12 east of NSB-NLON consists of widely spaced private homes and open, wooded land. Development is mixed commercial and residential farther south on Route 12. This area includes a church, automobile sales and repair facilities, convenience stores, restaurants, and a gas station. Private residences, an automobile service station, and a former dry cleaner are located along the southern side of Crystal Lake Road. Housing for Navy personnel exists farther south of Crystal Lake Road.

Base History

In 1867, the State of Connecticut donated a 112 acre parcel of land on the eastern bank of the Thames River to the Navy. The Navy did not use the property until 1868 when it officially designated the property a Navy Yard. The site was then used to moor small craft and obsolete warships, and served as a coaling station for the Atlantic fleet. The Department of the Navy designated the site a Submarine Base in 1916. During World War I, facilities were expanded extensively; 6 piers and 81 buildings were added. In 1917, a submarine school was established, and in 1918 the Submarine Medical Center was founded.

NSB NLON underwent another period of growth during World War II. Between 1935 and 1945, the Navy built more than 180 buildings and acquired adjacent land to expand NSB NLON from 112 to 497 acres. The growth of NSB NLON continued after World War II. A Medical Research Laboratory was established at the base in 1946.

In 1968, the status of the Submarine School was changed from an activity to a command and became the largest tenant on the base. The Naval Submarine Support Facility was established in 1974, and the Naval Undersea Medical Institute was established the following year.

The Subase currently provides a base command for submarine activities in the Atlantic Ocean and is homeport to 15 attack submarines. It also provides housing for Navy personnel and their families, support submarine training facilities, military offices, medical facilities, and facilities for submarine maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

Environmental History

The Navy initiated the Naval Assessment and Control of Installation Pollutants (NACIP) Program on September 11, 1980, to identify and control environmental contaminants from past use and disposal of hazardous substances. In 1983, a base wide investigation, called an Initial Assessment Study was completed. This study identified several potential disposal areas on the NSB-NLON. The results of the Initial Assessment Study lead to the placement of NSB-NLON on the National Priorities List (NPL) on August 30, 1990. The following is a summary of major investigations and studies for the Subase to date:

Event

Date

First environmental study for investigation of oil contamination of groundwater

1979

Navy initiated the NACIP Program

1980

Initial Assessment Study completed

1983

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) developed the IR Program which was the catalyst for environmental investigations at Subase

1986

Inclusion of Subase on the Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket

1988

USEPA proposes that Subase be added to the National Priorities List (NPL)

1989

Placed on the NPL

1990

Phase I Remedial Investigation (RI) completed

1992

Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) signed

1995

Phase II RI completed

1997

Feasibility Study for Soil and Sediment at Area A Downstream/Overbank Disposal Area (OBDA) completed

1997

Feasibility Study for Defense Reutilization Management (DRMO) site completed

1997

Lower Subase RI completed

1999

Feasibility Study for Goss Cove Landfill

1999

Feasibility Study for Area A Weapons Center

2000

First Five-Year Review Report completed

2001

Basewide Groundwater Operable Unit RI (BGOURI) completed

2002

BGOURI Update/Feasibility Study completed

2004

Second Five-Year Review Report completed

2006

Thames River Validation Study completed

2008

RI Update/Feasibility Study for Area A Wetlands completed

2010

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