NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY PANAMA CITY

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1751: Area of Concern (AOC) 1, also known as Firefighter Training Area Number 1, is a former fire-fighting training area. This site is located near the center of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City, west of Buildings 399 and 290, and was operational from about 1955 to 1978. This site is topographically upgradient of Saint Andrew Bay, which is located across Solomon Drive and approximately 700 feet to the east. In 1978, AOC1 was graded, paved, and used as an open storage area. AOC 1 is currently a fenced and paved open area. During its operational period, organic solvents, oils, and other combustible materials were periodically dumped into an unlined earthen pit at AOC 1 and ignited so that fire-fighter trainees could extinguish the fires. These activities resulted in chemical concentrations in groundwater and soil in excess of acceptable limits.

A corrective action was selected that would ultimately allow unrestricted use of AOC 1. The selected corrective action was soil vapor extraction with bioventing to remove light non-aqueous-phase liquid (LNAPL); natural attenuation of chemical contaminant concentrations in groundwater; land use controls (LUCs) to prevent unacceptable exposure to soil and groundwater until concentrations are acceptable; groundwater monitoring to ensure that concentrations of organic chemicals continue to decrease to acceptable levels; and coastal contaminant migration monitoring to evaluate the potential for offshore migration of contaminated groundwater. Bio-slurping was used to remove as much free product as possible during an interim measure. This process was sufficiently effective at removing free product that the use of soil vapor extraction and bioventing was unnecessary. Coastal contaminant migration monitoring has been completed. LNAPL was thought to have been removed completely, but occasional detections and removal of LNAPL continue. Groundwater monitoring is used to continually verify decreasing contaminant concentrations. Because LNAPL is still present in soil, periodic LNAPL monitoring and removal is included in the monitoring program. LUCs limit the degree of exposure that can occur by prohibiting residential or residential-like uses of AOC 1 property. These prohibited uses include but are not limited to any form of housing, child-care facilities, any kind of school including pre-schools, elementary schools, secondary schools, playgrounds, and adult convalescent and nursing care facilities.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1743: Area of Concern (AOC) 2, also known as Fuel Oil Tank #11 or Above Ground Storage Tank (AST) 11, is located in an intensely developed area at the southern end of Naval Support Activity Panama City. AOC 2 is bounded to the east by Solomon Drive, to the north by Skylark Drive, and to the west and south by Alligator Bayou and a site known as South Dock. The site area includes Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 1 and Site 333, previously investigated separately. AST 11 was constructed in 1943 and had a capacity of 420,000 gallons. This tank was originally used to store diesel fuel, and after 1957, other types of hydrocarbon fuels including gasoline. Petroleum products were transferred to AST 11 from the South Dock via a 6-inch underground transfer line. A smaller 3-inch transfer line connected AST 11 to a fuel pump house located approximately 100 feet northwest of the tank, which is the current location of Building 543.

From 1953 to the mid-1960s, several small leaks and at least two large leaks of petroleum product in excess of 10,000 gallons were reportedly associated with AST 11. The former fuel dispensing station at nearby South Dock, which included USTs 12 and 13, was removed in the early 1970s; the conditions of the USTs were not documented. In 1979, AST 11, the transfer piping, and containment berm were removed. During the removal, it was reported that the bottom plates of the tank had completely deteriorated. Based on utility drawings of the area, the fuel dispensing station and associated fuel pump house were apparently removed after 1984. Building 400 has since been built in the area of the former fuel dispensing station, Building 543 has been constructed in the area of the former fuel pump house, and the Special Operations Facility has recently been constructed near AOC 2. The site includes asphalt- and concrete-paved parking areas and is surrounded by offices and maintenance and storage buildings.

AOC 2 is currently undergoing environmental investigations to establish the extent of petroleum-related contamination.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2813: Area of Concern (AOC) 3, Naval Installation Restoration Program (NIRP) Site 8, is located behind Building 40, the Plating Shop, in the southern portion of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. AOC 3 included a 20 square feet area where 55-gallons of trichloroethene were reportedly deposited onto the ground during a one-time event in 1973. The soils in this area are highly permeable; therefore, it would be likely that the solvent migrated into the surficial aquifer, which is hydraulically connected to the deeper Floridian aquifer. Soil samples collected in 1987 did not indicate evidence of the spill. No further action (NFA) was recommended in a 1987 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Assessment (RFA) Report. The NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1752: Area of Concern (AOC) 4, also known as Building 455 and the Paint Rinsing Area, is located near the center of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. Building 455, built at the same location as former Building 63 after Building 63 was demolished, is a small structure at the base of a T-shaped, open-air, concrete pad where paint stripping and painting operations were performed. During its operational period, which began prior to 1978 and lasted approximately 15 years until June 1993, methylene chloride may have been released onto the ground around Building 455.

No further action (NFA) was recommended for AOC 4 in a 1997 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Interim Measures Report. The NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means this site has been approved for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1742: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 1, also known as Landfill A, encompassed 1 acre along the edge of Alligator Bayou near Buildings 77, 293, and 333. This site is now within the boundary of the Area of Concern (AOC) 2 investigation. The landfill was used from approximately 1945 to 1953 for general waste disposal from the entire facility, and burning of combustible waste also occurred at the site. The landfill is inactive and is covered with concrete, asphalt, and grass. Based on a 1997 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Interim Measures Report, this site was recommended for no further action (NFA). The Naval Support Activity Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means this site has been approved for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1744: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 2, also known as Landfill B, Burn and Disposal Area, is located in central Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. Wastes disposed at this site included paint, solvents, ash, general household food and non-food waste, and bilge water. Waste disposal began in the late 1940s and increased from 1957 until the mid-1970s. Part of SWMU 2 is currently used for general open storage. Wastes from a one-time general base cleanup were also disposed in an area east of the present open storage area and non-contiguous with the remainder of SWMU 2. In 1982, wastes including tin, copper, cable, wood, and cardboard boxes were removed from all areas of SWMU 2 to a depth of about 2 feet.

Waste remains in place at SWMU 2, although removal of contaminated surface soil has reduced surface soil contamination to acceptable levels for industrial use. The corrective action presented in the Statement of Basis for SWMU 2 requires land use controls (LUCs) to prevent unacceptable exposure to soil and groundwater, periodic monitoring of groundwater to verify that groundwater contamination continues to decrease to acceptable levels, and surface water monitoring to ensure that there are no adverse impacts to nearby surface water. The LUCs prevent unacceptable current and future exposure of humans to residual contamination in groundwater at SWMU 2. These controls also prohibit residential or residential-like land uses, including but not limited to any form of housing, child-care facilities, any kind of school including pre-schools, elementary schools, secondary schools, playgrounds, and adult convalescent and nursing care facilities. Excavation, disturbance, and/or removal of soils are prohibited unless prior written approval is obtained from the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City Environmental Office. Contaminant concentrations were low enough in 2008 to allow for discontinuation of routine groundwater and surface water monitoring.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1745: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 3, Landfill C Burn and Disposal Area, is located northeast of the Amphibious Assault Landing Craft Area on the beach of St. Andrew Bay. The site is bordered on the east by St. Andrew Bay, on the north by a small tidal inlet and pond leading to St. Andrew Bay, and on the west by Building 292. SWMU 3 was used from 1953 to 1959 for disposal of wastes including general household garbage, scrap lumber and metal, tree limbs, paint, paint thinner and solvent cans (mostly empty or with residue), bilge water, and waste oil [possibly transformer oil containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)]. Twenty-four to 48 cubic yards of waste were estimated to have been disposed of daily at the site and mounded to a height of approximately 25 feet using bulldozers. Monthly, the piles were doused with gasoline and ignited, and the resulting ash piles were covered with sand. When the Amphibious Assault Landing Craft Area was constructed, a natural wetland was destroyed. Under the requirements of the National Wetlands Protection Act, the destroyed wetland was replaced by constructing the tidal inlet currently present at the site.

After a series of environmental investigations was conducted, use of SWMU 3 under the current industrial land use was determined to be acceptable. However, it was necessary to implement land use controls (LUCs) to prevent future exposure of humans to residual contamination in surface soil and sediment at SWMU 3. These controls prohibit residential or residential-like uses, including but not limited to any form of housing, child-care facilities, any kind of school including pre-schools, elementary schools, secondary schools, playgrounds, and adult convalescent and nursing care facilities.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1746: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 4, a grassy ravine formerly located in the southeastern section of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City, is also known as Landfill D. From 1954 to 1958, concrete blocks, broken concrete, hardened asphalt, tires, and other inert materials were disposed in this ravine. The site was investigated, and no further action (NFA) was recommended in a 1996 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (RFI) Report. The NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit classifies this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means it is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1747: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 5, reportedly located at the eastern back corner of Building 47 (Paint Shop Building) on Solomon Drive in the southern part of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City, was also known as the Paint Equipment Cleaning Area. SWMU 5 was a sandy area approximately 225 feet square feet in size where painting equipment was cleaned from the early 1950s until 1979. Cleaning agents included mineral spirits, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, and paint thinners. As much as 19,500 gallons of paint and cleaning wastes may have been poured directly onto the ground at the site. When environmental investigations began, the area was paved, and no evidence of the cleaning area was found. The site was classified as requiring no further action (NFA) in a 1997 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Interim Measures Report. The NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit also lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2814: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 6, Building 361, a former hazardous waste storage facility, was located within a fenced area at the western end of Raven Place in the central area of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. SWMU 6 reportedly contained seven concrete bays for storage of wastes in drums, with a maximum storage capacity of sixty 55-gallon drums or 3,300 gallons including 660 gallons of ignitable waste in one bay and 440 of non-ignitable waste in each of the other six bays. Based on the construction characteristics of the facility and spill containment precautions, no release to environmental media was expected. This site was recommended for no further action (NFA) in a 1987 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Assessment (RFA) Report. The NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2815: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 7, former Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), was constructed in the mid-1950s and was located in the central area of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. The WWTP was designed to provide primary and secondary treatment of 250,000 gallons per day maximum daily flow. Treated effluent was discharge to St. Andrew Bay, located 100 feet east of the WWTP. Periodic overloads occurred at the WWTP, and inadequately treated water was discharged to the bay. Wastes entering the WWTP included general sanitary waste, water from oil/water separators (OWSs), runoff, and small amounts of assorted wastes from various shops at NSA Panama City. This site was recommended for NFA in a 1987 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Assessment (RFA) Report. The NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1748: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 8, was the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City Classified Documents Incinerator. This incinerator was reportedly located on the back deck area of the B-wing of Building 110 on Solomon Drive. This incinerator was a natural gas-fired solid waste incinerator used exclusively for destruction of classified material, which reportedly included primarily paper documents but also some photographs and photographic negatives. It had a 300-pound capacity and operated twice per week with an approximate burn time of 8 hours. Ash from the incinerator was disposed of offsite. SWMU 8 was classified as requiring no further action (NFA) in a 1997 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Interim Measures Report and is currently listed as requiring NFA in the NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1749: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 9, which reportedly operated from approximately 1980 to 1985, is also known as Fire-Fighter Training Area No. 2. It was a circular area approximately 20 to 30 feet in diameter located southwest of Gull Circle near Building 61 in the central area of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. Activities consisted of pouring and igniting fuel on the ground in the circular area described above. Fuel, reported to have been JP-5 aviation fuel, diesel fuel, and gasoline, was obtained from an on-site 4,500-gallon above-ground fuel storage tank. Flammable waste materials also may have been used as fuel. Approximately 18 to 20 training exercises were conducted each year, with an estimated maximum volume of 50,000 gallons of fuel having been ignited at the site.

After a series of investigations was concluded, SWMU 9 was recommended and approved for no further action (NFA). The NSA Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_1750: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 10 is a former oil/water separator system (OWS) system near Building 363. The OWS system began operation during or before 1968 and consisted of a 6,000-gallon underground waste oil tank; a 10,000-gallon fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) oily waste holding tank; and the OWS pumps, controls, and associated piping.

Sampling at the OWS during a Contamination Assessment in 1992 confirmed the presence of chlorinated solvents in soil and groundwater. Light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) was detected during a subsequent investigation. After a series of environmental investigations and evaluations, a corrective action was selected that would eventually allow unrestricted use of SWMU 10. The selected corrective action for SWMU 10 is vacuum-enhanced extraction of LNAPL to remove the source of groundwater contamination, monitored natural attenuation (MNA) to verify continued decreases in contamination levels, and land use controls (LUCs) to prohibit residential or residential-like uses of SWMU 10 property, including but not limited to any form of housing, child-care facilities, any kind of school including pre-schools, elementary schools, secondary schools, playgrounds, and adult convalescent and nursing care facilities.

LNAPL removal has been completed. The most recent long-term monitoring (LTM) data showed that all groundwater chemical of concern (COC) concentrations were less than Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Groundwater Cleanup Target Levels (GCTLs) and Surface Water Target Cleanup Levels (SWCTLs). Accordingly, routine monitoring has been discontinued. The LUCs remain in effect because of waste remaining in subsurface soil.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2816: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 11, Building 84 was a temporary hazardous waste storage area on the southeastern side of Building 84 located in the southern portion of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. The storage area consisted of a sloping concrete pad with spill containment curbing and a collection sump that discharged directly to the sanitary sewer. Beginning in 1978, painting equipment was cleaned in this area. Chemicals used for cleaning painting, including mineral spirits, paint, methyl ethyl ketone, paint thinner, and acetone, were stored in 55-gallon drums at SWMU 11 before they were transferred to the hazardous waste storage facility. Trace concentrations of metals were detected in surface soil near the storage area, and paint residues were observed on the ground surface during the June 1987 visual site inspection; however, a 1987 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Assessment (RFA) Report recommended this site for no further action (NFA). The NSA PC Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2817: Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 12, Building 40 was a temporary hazardous waste storage area in the parking lot behind Building 40. SWMU 12 is located about 200 feet north of the southern dock. The storage area was 5 feet by 5 feet, and plastic 55-gallons barrels were stored directly on the pavement. Wastes were from the metal plating shop and included chemicals such as acids, alkaline stripper, and nickel solution. Additional containment measures were recommended; however, the building was scheduled for demolition in 1987, and metal plating was discontinued. In a 1987 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Assessment (RFA) Report, the site was recommended for no further action (NFA). The NSA PC Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2806: Site G9, Building 9. The NSA PC Corrective Action Permit lists this site under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2808: Building G300 is part of the Navy Experimental Diving Unit Ocean Simulation Facility. The diesel fuel day tank for an emergency generator located in Building G300 was overfilled during refueling at this site, and approximately 132 gallons of diesel fuel reportedly spilled onto the ground outside the southwestern corner of Building G300. The soil contamination area was approximately 4 feet wide by 25 feet long and extended along the southwestern corner of the building, sidewalk, and possibly under the building. Evidence of potential previous spills has also been observed. Aggressive Fluid Vapor Recovery (AFVR) and other means of reducing contaminant levels in soil at the site have been attempted, but not all of the contamination is accessible. Therefore, land use controls (LUCs) on groundwater underneath the site and on soil in the capillary fringe have been implemented to prevent unacceptable exposure to soil and groundwater. Biennial groundwater monitoring and quarterly monitoring for free petroleum product are in effect.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2809: Site 98 is the site of a cylindrical steel underground storage tank (UST) formerly located adjacent to and west of Building 98 between Area of Concern (AOC) 1 and St. Andrew Bay. According to a 1997 Closure Assessment Report, evidence of oil leakage from the former UST was detected in 1989, at which time the UST, associated plumbing, and some of the surrounding contaminated soil shallower than the water table were removed. More recently, soil contamination at the depth of the former tank has been detected, and the site is undergoing investigation to delineate the extent of the contamination.

Site 278 is located at the eastern dock of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City along the northern side of Alligator Bayou. The site is a former location of four 7,500-gallon underground storage tanks (USTs) used for diesel fuel storage. Evidence of oil leakage from the former USTs was detected in 1989, at which time the USTs and some of the surrounding contaminated soil were removed. A vacuum-enhanced extraction (VEE) recovery system was used from March 1998 through December 2001 to remove free petroleum product from soil and groundwater at the site. In the mid-2000s, an air sparging/soil vapor extraction (AS/SVE) system was used to remove additional soil and groundwater contamination.

A Site Rehabilitation Complete Order (SRCO) for no further action (NFA) in accordance with Rule 62-782.680, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), was issued by the FDEP on 18 March 2011. Groundwater monitoring wells were abandoned throughout Site 278, and the well abandonment report was approved by FDEP on 18 March 2011.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2811: Tank Site 323, Building 323. The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists Tank Site 323 under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2812: Tank Site 327, Building 327. The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists Tank Site 327 under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls,” which means the site is suitable for unrestricted use.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2804: Site 325 is located in an intensely developed area on the eastern side of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. Three 20,000-gallon fiberglass underground storage tanks (USTs) were installed at the site in 1976, and one 300-gallon UST was installed in 1984; all tanks were used for storage of JP-5 aviation fuel but were replaced after a fuel leak was discovered. The site now includes a large asphalt/concrete-paved parking lot surrounded by office, storage, and warehouse buildings and three above ground storage tanks (ASTs) that replaced the USTs. Petroleum product-related organic chemical contaminants have been detected in site soil and groundwater at unacceptable concentration levels. An air sparging/soil vapor extraction (AS/SVE) system was used in the early to mid-2000s to remove much of the petroleum product-related contamination from soil and groundwater, but not all of the contamination could be removed. Soil and groundwater contamination levels are constant or slowly decreasing, depending on the location within Site 325. Site 325 also is an active industrial area where operations would be disrupted if additional physical removal of the contamination would be attempted. Exposures to contaminated soil and groundwater are preventable through use of land use controls (LUCs).

A Site Rehabilitation Completion Order (SRCO) documenting satisfactory compliance with site rehabilitation completion requirements was issued by the FDEP on 29 September 2014.  The SRCO requires implementation of soil and groundwater land use controls (LUCs) to prevent unacceptable industrial, residential or residential-like exposure to contaminated subsurface soil and groundwater, and other requirements specific to Site 325.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_2920: Tank Site 362, Building 362. The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City Corrective Action Permit lists Tank Site 362 under the heading of “Site Rehabilitation Complete Determination Without [need for] Controls;” however, a recent oil spill at this site, which has been cleaned up, requires groundwater evaluation to verify that the cleanup was satisfactory.

South Dock is a linear feature in the southernmost portion of AOC 2 consisting of contiguous asphalt- and concrete-paved areas. It is bordered by a pier to the south and by office, storage, and ship maintenance buildings to the north. South Dock is located in an intensely developed area at the southern end of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City.

During a recent construction of a new pier over the old pier, floating petroleum product was observed beneath the relieving platform of the old pier at a depth of approximately 6 feet below land surface. The platform runs the length of the headwall and extends 25 feet inland from the headwall. The relieving platform and all other support structures were left in place without alteration, with the exception of a few temporary holes drilled through the platform used to connect the platform to the new pier structure. The Navy, in consultation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), determined that the petroleum product found beneath the relieving platform would be left in place because of the impracticability of removing the product and the high level of mission-critical activities occurring at the site. The dock forms a continuous, interlocked, sheet pile barrier extending approximately 38 feet below mean sea level. Land use controls (LUCs) were implemented to ensure that the petroleum product remains contained and unauthorized exposures to the product are prevented. Groundwater LUCs are in effect at the site to prevent unauthorized use of the groundwater.

OCULUS ID: DOD_15_3621: The Naval Operations Support Center (NOSC) is located at 2910 Roberts Ave., Tallahassee, FL 32310. It has undergone multiple environmental investigations. During the closure of underground storage tank (UST) 2-B in October 1991, chlorinated organic chemicals, lead, and methyl tert-butyl ether were detected in perched groundwater. Investigation of this site for inorganic and organic contamination in soil and groundwater is ongoing.