Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

HAFB is located ap-

proximately 30 miles

north of Salt Lake City.

IntroductionHAFB Air Force Base (HAFB) is the cen-

ter of Utah’s defense industry, and one of thelargest employers in the state, with nearly20,000 civilian and military personnel and anannual payroll of about $750 million. Locatedapproximately 30 miles north of the state capi-tol, Salt Lake City, HAFB is an integral partof a unique geographic and economic setting.The area is part of a five-county region con-taining 68 percent of the state’s population andgenerating 75 percent of the total economy.The impact of HAFB on Utah’s economy is$2 billion annually.

The host organization at the base is theOgden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC), oneof three such centers assigned to the Air ForceMateriel Command. The OO-ALC providesworldwide engineering and logistics manage-ment for the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10Thunderbolt II aircraft and the MinutemanIII and Peacekeeper intercontinental ballisticmissiles. Activities at HAFB include depotmaintenance, repair, and overhaul of the F-16, A-10, and C-130 Hercules aircraft. Thecenter is the Air Force Center of Industrial andTechnical Excellence for low observable“stealth” aircraft structural composite materi-als and provides support for the B-2 Spiritmulti-role bomber.

HAFB also supports more than 40 tenantunits apart from the OO-ALC, including twopremier F-16 fighter wings: the 388th FighterWing and the 419th Fighter Wing.

HAFB is located in a topographically flatarea within the Great Salt Lake Valley. Aboutfour miles to the east, the Wasatch Mountainsrise abruptly from the valley floor to an eleva-tion of about 9,500 feet. The Great Salt Lake,at an elevation of about 4,200 feet, is approxi-mately 12 miles west of HAFB. Groundwateris obtained from three primary aquifers, andthe interaction between groundwater, surfacewater, and geology is varied and complex.

HAFB’s property includes facilities in Utah,Wyoming, and Nevada. The land mass con-sists of 6,666 acres on the main base and more

than 955,000 acres contained within a majoraircraft range (Utah Test and Training Range(UTTR).

Since the 1930s, HAFB operations have in-cluded aircraft depot maintenance and stor-age of parts and munitions. Over the years,hundreds of thousands of gallons of solventsand other chemicals were used for cleaning anddegreasing parts, stripping and repainting air-craft, and dozens of other processes involvedin aircraft depot maintenance. As was the ac-ceptable practice at the time, waste chemicalswere disposed of in pits and trenches ordumped out the “back door,” becoming thesources of contaminated groundwater and soilsnow found on and off base.

HAFB has implemented one of the mostproactive environmental restoration programsin the Department of Defense (DoD). Begin-ning in 1982 with an investigation of hazard-ous waste sites, HAFB had the most urgentinterim remedies in-place by 1986.

The program has continued at full speedso that today 86 of the 108 Installation Resto-ration Program (IRP) sites have completed thenecessary studies and are in the remedial de-sign or remedial action (RA) phases or haveno further response action planned. All sitesare sched-uled to beclosed orhave finalremedy inplace by2 0 0 8 —seven yearsahead of theDepartmenttof DefenseC l e a n u pPerformanceGoals 2014.

Page 1

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

This map shows

HAFB’s 12 Operable

Units and their associ-

ated groundwater con-

tamination plumes.

Nearly all of Hill’s OUs

have either final or

interim cleanup ac-

tions in place. The

areas shaded green

indicate residential

areas. This presents a

tremendous commu-

nity relations challenge

for HAFB’s Restoration

Program staff.

BackgroundEnvironmental RestorationChallenges

Since receiving a cease and desist order fromthe Utah Department of Health (UDOH) in1984, HAFB has addressed and overcome themost difficult environmental challenges, andhas developed a mature and model program.HAFB continues to aggressively and creativelymeet many management and technical chal-lenges to ensure the present and future successof its IRP. These challenges are described be-low.

Property AccessGroundwater contaminant plumes extend

into seven of the communities surrounding thebase. Approximately 900 acres of off-base prop-erty have been affected by this contamination,with most of this off-base acreage in heavilypopulated areas. Real estate agreements arenecessary to facilitate access to off-base prop-erties, achieve efficient placement of testinglocations and restoration systems, and ensureminimal impacts to the landowner.

Regulatory InterfacesThe HAFB restoration program functions

best when representatives from the U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) and theUtah Department of Environmental Quality(UDEQ) are integrated into the decision-mak-ing process and a sentiment of trust and un-derstanding exists. The success of HAFB’s IRPis attributed in large measure to the coopera-tive spirit fostered between the base and theregulatory agencies. In this way, all partiesmake a significant commitment to reach mile-stones together.

Treatment TechnologiesEfficient technologies to restore groundwa-

ter contaminated with solvents like thosefound at HAFB continue to be a significantchallenge in achieving cleanup at sites aroundthe base. Complex groundwater flow regimesand recalcitrant chemicals result in significantchallenges for traditional pump-and-treat ap-proaches. With nearly 1,500 acres of ground-

water contamination, traditional approachesmust be challenged. Staff engineers and sci-entists are forging ahead with new technolo-gies and partnerships with researchers antici-pating significantly more efficient groundwa-ter remedies.

Restoration Program StaffingWithin the OO-ALC Environmental Man-

agement Directorate (EM), the Restorationdivision (EMR) is responsible for executingHAFB’s IRP. EMR’s history of attracting highlyqualified staff to manage restoration projectsis an important factor in the success of the res-toration program at HAFB. The majority ofthe staff has advanced academic degrees and70 percent have professional certifications.During this award period, the base was thefocus of an outsourcing study of several basesupport functions under Office of Manage-ment and Budget Circular A-76. EM is nowimplementing the changes outlined in thegovernment’s winning proposal. A lengthydecision process created a sense of employmentuncertainty with restoration engineers and sci-entists, resulting in significant staff turnoverduring the award period.

To meet these challenges, EMR uses provenstrategy for optimizing its administrative andoperational structure and prioritizing andimplementing its restoration program. Thiswinning strategy includes stakeholder involve-

Page 2

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

HAFB’s Source Re-

moval System at OU2

was constructed in

1992 to remove thou-

sands of gallons of

waste solvent pooled

40 feet beneath the

former chemical dis-

posal pit. Today, sur-

factants are being

used to enhance the

system’s operating

efficiency. To date,

more than 43,000

gallons of solvents

have been removed

from the site.

ment, early actions, innovation, cost reduction,effective data management, and performancemonitoring and verification.

Management ApproachIn January 1999, the administrative and

operational structure of EMR was changed toaddress changing technical and managementneeds of a maturing program. The new struc-ture is centered on two program managers—one focused on investigations and the otheron treatment system design, construction, andoperation. Their responsibilities include estab-lishing short- and long-term strategies, inte-grating actions both inside and between oper-able units (OUs) and developing remedial ac-tion objectives and performance verificationcriteria. This allows project managers to focuson the details of investigation approaches, fea-sibility studies, treatment system optimization,design, and construction. Program Managersmay have responsibility for similar projectsacross a number of OUs. The change greatlyimproved focus on achieving cleanup goals andis the fundamental catalyst for recent improve-ment and accomplishments.

An integral part of HAFB’s restoration pro-gram involves the use of a variety of contractsand contracting approaches to execute projects,including the Air Force Center for Environ-mental Excellence resources. Combined, theseafford EMR a tremendous capability to helpachieve program goals.

Program OverviewThe first indications of environmental con-

tamination at HAFB came in 1978, when aresident noticed a colored discharge from aspring just a few hundred feet from the baseboundary. The discharge was eventually tracedto a nearby landfill located on base.

Preliminary assessments and site inspections(PA/SIs) began at this and other sites aroundthe base in 1982. The initial investigationsidentified several sites that were contaminatedwith organic solvents, heavy metals, and pe-troleum products. PA/SI work continued un-til 1987. In July of that year, HAFB was addedto the National Priorities List. To date, inves-tigations have identified 108 sites and many

require no further cleanup actions or have rem-edies in place. However, 42 sites were groupedinto one of 12 OUs and are currently beingaddressed under the Comprehensive Environ-mental Response, Compensation and Liabil-ity Act (CERCLA).

HAFB, UDOH (now UDEQ), and EPAsigned an interagency agreement (IAG) in1991. This agreement identifies the Air Forceas the lead agency in the cleanup and definesthe oversight role of both state and federal regu-latory agencies. The cleanup at HAFB contin-ues to operate within the framework of theIAG.

To date, HAFB has Records of Decision(RODs) signed at OUs 1-4 and 6-7. All rem-edies at these OUs are in-place and function-ing. Interim actions are in-place and function-ing at OUs 5 and 8. Spring collection and treat-ment systems are functioning at multiple lo-cations around the base.

Separate from the CERCLA cleanup actions(but still part of HAFB’s IRP) are cleanup ac-tions for underground storage tanks. Duringthe course of this program, 54 sites were dis-covered and investigated. Cleanup actions weretaken at 37 sites and cleanup continues at threesites.

The investigations and cleanup at HAFBare supported by a vast groundwater monitor-ing network both on and off base. In 2002,samples were collected from more than 600wells and more than 100 springs, seeps, andponds. HAFB has also taken indoor air samples(132 in 2002) and fruit and vegetable samples(367 in 2002). To date, nearly 20,000 surface

Page 3

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

Program Summary

✧ ✧ ✧

—Major General Ear-nest O. Robbins II, AirForce Civil Engineer

“Our Air Force’s record

of environmental stew-

ardship has evolved

into a tremendous

success story, and that

success is a result of

efforts at all levels of

installation and head-

quarters leadership

and management. The

achievements of the

HAFB Installation Res-

toration Program team

reflect the best of the

best...constant innova-

tion, attention to de-

tail, and persistent

professionalism

across-the-board have

made them the ac-

knowledged leaders in

the restoration arena.”

During the award period, the base reducedon-site treatment costs through partnershipswith local sewer districts, completed final RAsat six sites, and closed eight sites. Progress con-tinued on an innovative cleanup agreement forthe UTTR. The schedule for the second five-year review was maintained. The program wasfully compliant with state and federal regula-tions affecting the IRP—there were zero vio-lations.

The installation continued to partner withregulatory agencies and to foster RAB involve-ment. The RAB meets quarterly. In addition toits regular meetings, eight RAB training meet-ings and site tours were held in 2001 and 2002.RAB members attended and assisted with eightInfoFairs in affected communities. Periodic up-dates were provided to seven different city coun-cils, and regular meetings with state and federalregulators kept HAFB project managers informedand involved.

Anticipating a DoD Military MunitionsResponse Program data call, a comprehensiverange inventory was initiated at UTTR. Thisinventory was designed to be an annual, itera-tive effort. To generate data for the inventory,HAFB prepared a detailed questionnaire. Thebase collected data on the types of munitionsused, the range’s environmental status, and thetype and level of external stakeholder interest.

To judge HAFB’s restoration program im-

water and groundwater samples have been col-lected. The data are managed in a large data-base connected to a geographic informationsystem.

Community involvement has always beenan important part of HAFB’s cleanup program.In 1995, HAFB was one of the first DoD fa-cilities to establish a Restoration AdvisoryBoard (RAB). This board, consisting of 25

members from local communities and regula-tory agencies, has advised HAFB through fiveof the six RODs, and will play an importantrole in the second comprehensive five-year pro-gram review due in September 2003. By de-veloping trust with community leaders and thepublic at-large, HAFB is able to develop in-vestigative and cleanup strategies that meet thepublic’s expectations and needs.

provement and accomplishment, it is best touse as a baseline the restoration program mis-sion statement, vision, and objectives as pub-lished in HAFB’s 2000 restoration programManagement Action Plan.

Restoration MissionThe mission of the HAFB IRP is to execute

environmental restoration activities in accor-dance with applicable laws and regulations andwithin the scope of the Air Force mission.These activities will serve the public interestby protecting human health and the environ-ment, reducing potential risk to affected popu-lations, involving stakeholders in the decision-making process, and wisely using limited tax-payer resources.

Restoration VisionThrough a desire for excellence, EMR pur-

sues the following to accomplish its mission:■ Achieve results through a proactive ap-

proach■ Assert leadership in the environmental field■ Accept responsibility for their stewardship■ Earn the trust of those with whom they

work■ Challenge the boundaries of technology

The EMR strategy for implementing itsmission is to focus on integrating, prioritiz-ing, and optimizing appropriate response ac-

Page 4

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

“Utah is cleaner be-

cause of Hill Air Force

Base’s outstanding

work to cleanup and

restore the environ-

ment. Their quick

action has improved

the quality of life for

many Utahns living,

working, and recreat-

ing near the base.

Their commitment to

protecting human

health and the envi-

ronment is impressive

and serves as a model

for others to follow. As

one of their partners,

DEQ is pleased with

their work and sup-

ports their continued

efforts.”

—Dianne R. Nielson,Ph.D., Executive Direc-tor, Utah Department ofEnvironmental Quality

Accomplishments

✧ ✧ ✧

Fast Track CleanupHaving pioneered many DoD benchmarks

for fast track cleanup since 1984, EMR’s re-cent focus has shifted to innovative and con-solidated investigation approaches and treat-ment system optimization to streamline theIRP process and realize improved acceleratedcleanup.

For example, at OU12, EMR used flexiblecontracts, innovative technologies, and closeteaming with city officials and the commu-nity to accelerate a complex remedial investi-

tions at HAFB and its off-base properties.

Restoration ObjectivesEMR’s specific IRP objectives include:Protect human health and the environ-ment.Maintain a RAB as a forum for restora-tion stakeholders to advise HAFB of theirconcerns.Conduct all IRP activities in compliancewith the law.Meet IAG requirements.Establish priorities by focusing on highestpotential risk sites.Facilitate partnerships with researchers andtechnology vendors to demonstrate tech-nologies that will improve cleanup effi-ciency and reduce costs.Maintain an up-to-date understanding anddocumentation of the environmental con-dition of HAFB and its off-base proper-ties.Evaluate and understand potential risksposed by contaminated sites.Complete studies as soon as practicable foreach site and implement cleanup activi-ties.

Develop, screen, and select RAs that re-duce potential risks and meet cleanup stan-dards.Implement early cleanup actions when ap-propriate.Implement selected remedial actions tocontrol, eliminate, or reduce potential risksto manageable levels in source areas.Operate remediation systems to optimizeperformance, reduce cost, and achieveremediation goals and site closure as soonas practicable.Manage resources and conduct RAs in afiscally responsible manner.Continue to implement an effective com-munity relations program.

EMR has enabled HAFB to identify con-taminated sites and take effective steps towardsRAs and site closure. A few sites will requirelong-duration (many decades) cleanup activi-ties; others have been and will be restored andclosed quickly. The accomplishments high-lighted in the next section clearly demonstrateHAFB’s outstanding progress toward achieve-ment of each IRP objective be it technical, pro-grammatic, regulatory, or just the right thingto do.

gation (RI) in a populated off-base area. Theentire process was completed in 25 percent ofnormal time, saving $500,000 while buildingsignificant public trust as a good neighbor.Novel actions that saved time and money in-cluded:■ Early field development and updating of

the site conceptual model■ Cone penetrometer testing (CPT) and

Hydropunch® sampling to define theplume prior to well installation

■ Direct push monitoring well—micro-

Page 5

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

As a result of in-

creased pumping effi-

ciencies, concentra-

tions at OU6 have

dropped dramatically

in recent years.

well—application■ Early computer groundwater model devel-

opment■ Flexible contracting strategies allowing ad-

justment to challenges in the field■ Outside research funding allowing use of

a down-hole wire-line sampler in conjunc-tion with a mobile field laboratory to rap-idly characterize source areas

EMR’s approach cut years off the time tra-ditionally needed to characterize such a com-plex site at two-thirds the traditional cost. Asimilar consolidated investigation approachwas applied at UTTR disposal sites with com-mon characteristics. The result was reducedsampling and documentation efforts that saved$1.3 million and saved years of investigationtime. Such fast track techniques have savedtime and money at numerous sites and havebeen especially effective at meeting the cleanupchallenge at over 800 acres of off-base prop-erty located in heavily populated areas.

HAFB has focused on optimizing remedialsystems operations to save time and money.At OU1, the free-product recovery system wasoptimized, increasing production by eight per-cent, removing over 4,750 gallons of oils andsolvents and avoiding $8.3 million in futuretreatment costs. Optimization of the OU6pumping system resulted in a 350 percent in-crease in pumping efficiency. The result waselimination of off-base treatment due to dropin contaminant concentrations. Optimizationof the aeration curtain in OU5 improved effi-ciency of treatment by 30 percent.

EMR has developed enhanced operationalplans and implemented them to focus on mea-suring and achieving results—treatment sys-tems are actively managed to ensure they areachieving performance expectations.

Remedial process optimization pays divi-dends and accelerates cleanup.

Additional fast track cleanup accomplish-ments include:■ Aggressive upgradient groundwater treat-

ment at OU6 restored uninhibited use ofa private pond and eliminated the needfor a pond treatment system.

■ Unique application of soil vapor extractionto remove free product at OU11 will close

the site four years earlier than anticipated.

Innovative TechnologyDemonstration/Validationand Implementation

HAFB has hosted experts from all over theworld to test 16 innovative technologies insearch for improved treatment approaches thatreduce cleanup time and costs. Ten were se-lected for implementation on a broader scale.HAFB is promoting the transferability ofremediation technology to cleanup sites world-wide.

HAFB investigators and collaborators havepublished more than 14 technical papers, thepurpose of which were to highlight innovativeapproaches and new methodologies that havebeen tested and implemented at HAFB. EMRis leading the charge for improvements in cleanup.

HAFB’s innovative technology demonstra-tions are largely funded by outside agencies.In all, more than $12 million worth ofremediation research has been conducted atHAFB at little or no cost to the base. Accom-plishments include:■ Surfactant Enhanced Aquifer Remediation

saves time and money. At OU2, HAFB suc-cessfully tested and introduced full-scale de-ployment of an innovative surfactant-en-hanced extraction system, a first for cleaningup chlorinated solvents. Tests proved the sys-tem removed more than 98 percent of re-sidual solvents from soil—a figure consid-ered unachievable just a few years ago. Thetechnique uses surfactants to break the forcesthat trap sol-vent glob-ules in thesoil. Oncefree of thesoil, the sol-vents can beremoved us-ing pumpand treat-ment sys-tems alreadyin place.More than

Small trees, such as

these shown above,

are part of a phyto-

remediation study be-

ing conducted by

HAFB and Utah State

University. The purpose

of the study is to de-

termine if trees can be

used to extract con-

taminated groundwa-

ter.

Page 6

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

At OU2, surfactants

were used to release

solvent globules em-

bedded between soil

particles.Using surfac-

tants, unprecedented

amounts of chlori-

nated solvents were

removed from the soil.

1,200 gallons of solvents have been removedsaving $5 million and decades of cleanuptime over conventional extraction systems.The new technology will allow recovery ofmost, if not all, the residual solvent. HAFBis leading the way on cleanup of highly com-plex sites.

■ Innovative Miro-wells OK with EPA. Inthe western portions of the OU12 plume,innovative monitoring wells with 1.25-inch diameter, known as micro-wells, wereinstalled to depths up to 50 feet belowground surface using direct-push technol-ogy. A short-duration study proved to EPAthat micro-wells yielded results comparablewith conventional wells. Micro-wells areinstalled for two-thirds the cost of conven-tional shallow wells and reduce the sam-pling time by 34 percent. Over $400,000in investigation costs were saved at OU12.

■ Phytoremediation shines at HAFB. EMR

implemented an innovative phyto-remediation approach to contain contami-nated groundwater using natural vegeta-tion at OU4 resulting in elimination ofregulatory requirement for a $6.8 milliongroundwater treatment system. HAFB pio-neers innovative, natural solutions to cleanupthat the community favors!

Additional innovative technology accom-plishments include:■ An array of innovative artesian siphon ex-

traction wells demonstrated containmentof the trichloroethene (TCE) plume atOU8 eliminating the requirement for con-ventional groundwater pumps and associ-ated operation and maintenance costs—a$400,000 reduction in future capital costs

■ Developed local intranet-based contami-nation mapping system that allows baseplanners and facility managers to recog-nize conflicts between cleanup sites andfacility projects early in the planning pro-cess

Partnerships AddressingEnvironmental CleanupIssues Between DoD andOther Entities

Beneficial partnerships have long been anintegral part of EMR’s program. A commondimension of successful teams is the impor-tance given to protecting human health andthe environment and earning mutual trustamong the team members.

EMR partnered with regulators, commu-nities, other HAFB organizations, and contrac-tors to focus on site closure and remedy goals.For example, EMR entered into agreementswith off-base sewer districts to allow direct dis-charge of groundwater from cleanup sites at

Members of HAFB’s

Restoration Advisory

Board observe as a

monitoring well is

drilled as part of the

OU12 Investigation in

Roy, UT.

Page 7

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

HAFB regularly holds

InfoFairs in the com-

munity to provide in-

formation about the

progress of the

cleanup. In the last

two years, more than

500 citizens have at-

tended an InfoFair.

OUs 4 and 6 and, soon, OU8 into sewer sys-tems with treatment being handled at the lo-cal sewer plants. This reduces operational costsdramatically. HAFB also uses extraction sys-tems with direct discharge to local sewer linesand treatment plants for final treatment. Thishas dramatically reduced operation and main-tenance costs associated with building and op-erating separate treatment systems. Life-cyclesavings are in the multi-millions of dollars.HAFB’s partnerships save taxpayer dollars.

Working with EPA Region 8, EMR im-proved its strategy to mitigate indoor air con-tamination in an off-base community neigh-borhood by applying best practice lessonslearned from a private-sector site in Colorado.HAFB eliminated an unnecessary treatmentstep saving $1,000 per home and the nuisanceof ongoing intrusion in homes. EMR andHAFB’s Public Affairs Office professional staffimplemented the strategy by going door-to-door to ensure that citizens were able to takeadvantage of air sampling for TCE. One hun-dred fifty homes were visited, 79 homes weresampled, and six vapor removal systems wereinstalled. Exposure to TCE vapors was elimi-nated. The demonstration of a high level ofconcern by the HAFB team substantiallystrengthened trust within the community.Benchmarking with partners pays financial divi-dends and uses experience of others to benefitHAFB stakeholders.

HAFB’s mission and day-to-day operationswere sustained by EMR’s exceptional outreachto coordinate IRP activities with other HAFBorganizations such as civil engineering, pro-curement, public affairs, legal, bioenvironmen-tal engineering, planning, and facility manage-ment. For example, close integration with baseplanners allowed cleanup sites to be used forcompatible activities such as aged aircraft stor-age on closed/capped landfills and parking ar-eas. EMR is supporting the Air Force mission.

Additional examples of partnering successesinclude:■ Aggressive approach developed with regu-

lators allowing pragmatic closure of 72 of105 sites and areas of concern at the UTTRby 2004—less than two years! Demonstrat-ing a focus on goals and partnerships works.

■ Focus on practical solutions with regula-tory partners eliminated need for incinera-tion of contaminated sediments at OU3saving $600,000 in treatment. Partnershipsworking to achieve no-nonsense results.

Restoration AdvisoryBoard

Establishing a RAB in 1995 significantlyincreased the level of stakeholder involvementby members of the surrounding community.The RAB meets at least four times each year.Nine RAB meetings during the reporting pe-riod gave HAFB critical early input through-out the cleanup process at a number of sites.

Eight RAB training meetings providedstakeholders with a valuable understanding ofthe cleanup process and complexities ofcleanup. In addition, five RAB working groupsfocused on community concerns of risk, prop-erty values, cleanup methods, real estate, andoutreach at multiple sites. RAB members madesite visits to off- and on-base work areas to edu-cate themselves about work being completed.These activities proved an invaluable experi-ence for EMR to understand community con-cerns and address them.

HAFB teamed with the RAB and local gov-ernments to host eight InfoFairs in affectedcommunities to take cleanup information di-rectly to the people—more than 500 attend-ees. Response to citizen questions and concernsby HAFB staff and the RAB has increased citi-zen confidence and trust in the Air Force. Oneresident noted, “I appreciated the RAB citi-zens—they were more likely to answer ques-tions withoutplacating or pa-tronizing.”

RAB mem-bers met with aUtah State Uni-versity groupstudying the ef-fects of TCE ingroundwater onfruits and veg-etables grownwith this water.RAB members

Page 8

Contractors install a

sump at OU1 as part

of the groundwater

collection system in-

stalled at the site.

Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

A team collects a

sample from a moni-

toring well overlooking

the community of

South Weber. Sam-

pling is one of many

functions of HAFB’s

Restoration Program

conducted by small

businesses.

“Lessons learned from

environmental restora-

tion technology evalu-

ations at HAFB have

helped clean up haz-

ardous waste sites

throughout the world.”

—Joe Martone, Ph.D.,CIH, QEP, President-elect Air & Waste Man-agement Association,former DoD/EPA liaisonofficer and Hill con-sultant since 1991.

actively followed this issue and made severalrecommendations to the Air Force, such asadding vegetables to the study because of resi-dent concerns.

EMR developed a health risk booklet to as-sist the RAB in understanding and discussingrisk with their neighbors—an immediate “bestseller,” it demonstrably improved communi-cation of actual site hazards, reduced concern,and minimized fears.

EMR collaborated with the RAB to fast-track access to critical off-base property to con-struct a cleanup system. Partnership and com-munity trust make a significant difference inachieving results.

RAB members originated a request to putmore than 340,000 pages of administrativerecord documents into a searchable electronicformat. This vast archive of data is availablepublicly at a local university. A tremendous re-source—first in DoD.

Opportunities for SmallBusinesses and SmallDisadvantaged Businesses

EMR has always recognized the intrinsicvalue of using small businesses for site cleanupwork. Agility and cognizance of new techni-cal developments often give small businesses asignificant competitive advantage. In eachaward year, approximately $2 million wasawarded to Small Business (SB) and SmallDisadvantaged Business (SDB) firms for res-toration projects at HAFB. Several small busi-nesses are routinely used in site characteriza-tion activities including drilling, geoprobework, and surveying.

During the RI at OUs 5 and 12, EMR usedseveral SB and SDB services including CPTtesting and Hydropunch® sampling, monitor-ing well installation, monitoring well and ex-traction well development and repair, survey-ing and geotechnical support, and chemicalanalytical support. The firms completed over200 CPT and Hydropunch® sampling loca-tions (several miles of footage), installed anddeveloped over 150 monitoring wells, and pro-vided soil and groundwater analysis. Theirrapid response and quality work saved HAFB

money and completed investigations wellahead of normal schedule.

An SB drilling company installed a seriesof 15 multi-level sampling wells capable ofsampling groundwater at seven different iso-lated depths in a single borehole. Direct-pushtechnology made well installation very quick.The SB also developed continuous samplingequipment allowing a very detailed look at thesubsurface lithology. The wells were used in abromide tracer study to determine dispersioncoefficients and plume travel velocity—keydata used in the OU5 flow and transportmodel.

Of HAFB’s five full-service environmentalarchitect/engineer services contracts, two wereawarded to SB or SDB firms. Two of five IRPconstruction contracts were awarded to SB orSDB firms. In addition, SB and SDB firmsare accessed through subcontracts issued bylarge business (LB) prime contractors. All EMRLB contractors have met or exceeded their SBand SDB goals on HAFB-issued contracts.

EMR’s LB contractors coordinate closelywith the regional Small Business Liaison Of-fice and base procurement office to ensure thatsmall businesses are routinely contacted, fairlyconsidered, and actively recruited. Solicita-tions, purchase orders, and subcontracts con-tain required clauses and notifications concern-ing the use of small businesses. An active out-reach program ensures that subcontract oppor-tunities are packaged in an optimized, smallbusiness-centered manner. EMR’s LB contrac-tors maintain up-to-date lists of potential smallbusinesses by using the Small BusinessAdministration’s (SBA) PRO-NET website,the local SBA contacts, and by maintainingcontacts with local professional organizationswhich assist small businesses. EMR’s LB con-tractors have maintained a record of more than50 percent of their total subcontracted dollarsgoing to local small business concerns.

Since 1984, the IRP has created hundredsof jobs in-house and in the community. Dur-ing FY01 and FY02, it was estimated thatnearly 50 additional jobs were created as a re-sult of ongoing aggressive cleanup activities atHAFB.

HAFB’s prime contractors’ SB and SDB

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Environmental Restoration Award FY2002

Hill Air Force Base

Conclusion

✧ ✧ ✧

The success achieved at Hill has been rec-ognized within the Air Force. In addition,many ideas conceived and implemented at Hillare adopted throughout the DoD. The resto-ration team at Hill has a proven strategy forprioritizing and implementing its restoration

program. These efforts include stakeholder in-volvement, early actions, innovation, cost re-duction, effective data management, and per-formance monitoring and verification. The re-sults are clear—Hill is getting the job done intop-notch fashion!

track record has not gone unnoticed. Duringthe award period, primes have won SBA’sFrances Perkins Vanguard Award, Dwight D.Eisenhower Award for Excellence, and Awardof Distinction.

Reducing Risk to HumanHealth and theEnvironment

Both the RAB and EMR focus on sites thatpose the highest potential risk to human healthor the environment, regardless of the regula-tory framework. By attacking the worst sitesfirst, taxpayer dollars flow to projects that willprovide the greatest and most immediate ben-efit to the entire on- and off-base community.Risk reduction at HAFB has been accom-plished by implementing swift and effectiveinterim actions and final actions accompaniedby dramatic improvement in site managementand characterization techniques. Some primeexamples follow:■ EMR achieved containment of contami-

nation by treating 56.6 million gallons ofcontaminated groundwater from 16 con-tainment systems. Containment systemsat three newly discovered sites will be inplace by 2004.

■ EMR completed construction of a ground-water collection and containment systemat OU1. The optimized system removed

4,150 gallons of solvents—an amount thatwould unacceptably contaminate 16.52billion gallons of water.

■ EMR completed their first PerformanceStandard Verification Plans (PSVP) forOUs 1-4 and 6-7 to enable collection andanalysis of valid data to assess progress to-ward achieving remedial action objectives.The PSVP approach embraced at HAFBmay set the standard for all DoD remedialprograms.

■ EMR completed cleanup at eight sitesbringing the number of sites cleaned to 78out of a total of 108 IRP sites—HAFB’scleanup timeline is well ahead of DoD goals!

HAFB’s early RAs are preventing or reduc-ing public exposure to contaminants by pre-cluding off-base migration into 800 acres ofheavily populated area.

Page 10

F-16 Fighting Falcons

from HAFB’s 388th

Tactical Fighter Wing

take to the sky with

picturesque Weber

Canyon serving as a

backdrop. The town of

South Weber lies be-

low, a key community

in HAFB’s Restoration

Program.