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Fort Detrick announces start of landfill

Mar 26

By Fort Detrick Public Affairs Office

Efforts are underway at Fort Detrick to complete restoration actions at several former Area B disposal sites. For the next few months, contractors will be on site constructing impermeable caps over the former disposal areas.

Beginning March 30, 2009, local construction vehicles will begin delivering fill dirt to soil stockpiles in Area B. Working with the contractor, Fort Detrick officials have developed a traffic pattern which will allow the construction vehicles to operate on a loop utilizing Rosemont Ave, Montevue Lane, Shookstown Road and a small segment of Kemp Lane. The intent of the designed traffic pattern is to alleviate traffic concerns during peak hours and to reduce the amount of dirt and dust that could occur as a result of the number of vehicles.

Fort Detrick expects an estimated 135 trucks per day will be delivering soil to Area B through the beginning of June. The trucks will be hauling more than 100,000 tons of fill dirt and topsoil that will be used to construct the caps. The caps are designed to provide an impermeable barrier that prevents rainwater from leaching contamination from the disposal areas into groundwater.

With the completion of the caps, 41 of 42 identified restoration sites will have been closed or have a remedy in place. Investigation and cleanup activities at the last open site, Area B groundwater, are still ongoing. The Army is working closely with the Environmental Protection Agency and Maryland Department of the Environment to develop the work plans necessary to complete restoration of the Area B groundwater in a safe and timely manner.

The Army is committed to keeping Fort Detrick and the neighboring communities safe. The Army continues to work closely with EPA and state regulatory agencies, and will maintain an ongoing dialog with the local community through

Restoration Advisory Board meetings. RAB meetings are held to keep the public informed and involved in Fort Detrick's restoration activities and provide opportunities for public involvement in its environmental restoration program.