Environmental History
The history and mission at NSF Dahlgren (NSFDL) have required and continue to require the use, handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials and petroleum products. Through accidental spills, leaks and conventional waste disposal practices before the 1980s, hazardous materials came into contact with the environment and resulted in conditions that do not meet today’s stricter and more comprehensive environmental standards. Today, all hazardous materials and wastes generated at NSFDL are managed in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations and are disposed of, or recycled, offsite at licensed waste disposal facilities.
The present focus on cleaning up the effects caused by past waste disposal practices and controlling current practices enable the Navy to reduce potential threats to the public health, public welfare, or the environment. Since the early 1980s, past releases to the environment have been identified and addressed on an ongoing basis under the Navy's comprehensive cleanup program.
An Initial Assessment Study (IAS) was completed for the NSFDL in July 1981, identifying seven sites requiring further investigation. The purpose of the IAS was to identify and assess sites posing a potential threat to human health or the environment due to contamination from past hazardous materials operations. Additional sites were identified and investigated during and after the 1990s that expanded the number of sites to be included in the ERP.
On February 7, 1992, the USEPA proposed in 57 Federal Register 4824 through 4827, that the NSFDL be added to the NPL. On October 14, 1992, the NSFDL was finalized on the NPL. Following listing on the NPL, negotiations for a FFA between USEPA Region III, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Department of the Navy (hereafter referred to as the Parties) were initiated. The parties signed the FFA on September 30, 1994.
The majority of environmental restoration sites at NSF Dahlgren have either achieved “No Further Action” or are in Long-Term Monitoring/Operation with Land Use Controls. For more information on these sites as well as sites still requiring environmental remediation, please see the most recent Site Management Plan.