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Fort Huachuca | Site History

2017:  The Focused Remedial Investigation (RI) for the Asphalt Batch Plant was completed in Spring. Sampling of the excavation showed no polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls or volatile organic compounds. The Site Characterization was completed for the Vehicle Maintenance Facility Leaking Underground Storage Tank site in June 2017. An inspection for the East Range Shaft was completed and groundwater monitoring was conducted.

2016: Groundwater monitoring for the South Range Landfill continues.

2015: The Final Second Five-Year Review (FYR) Report for Fort Huachuca's East Range Mine Shaft was submitted. No contaminants above the Aquifer Water Quality Standard (AWQS) were detected.

2014: Two groundwater monitoring wells were installed at the East Range Mine Shaft and sampled with one existing monitoring well as part of the FYR requirements. No contaminants above the AWQS were detected. During the second quarter, a new groundwater monitoring well was installed at the South Range Landfill to replace MW-1, which had gone dry. No contaminants above the AWQS were detected. A FYR was scheduled for 2015.

2013: A meeting about the South Range Landfill and East Range Mine shaft was scheduled for November to discuss installation of groundwater monitoring wells.

2012: The final RI was completed for the minefield near the airport, indicating that no further action is necessary. The draft final RI report for the EAAR2 is completed, indicating this site should be geographically split into two Munitions Response Sites (MRS), MRS 2A and MRS 2B, with MRS 2A requiring a Feasibility Study (FS) to address potential risk posed possible Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC), and MRS 2B requiring no further action.

The Army agreed to install two new regional aquifer monitor wells down-gradient of the south range landfill, to continue monitoring the leachate monitor wells and to install one additional down-gradient regional aquifer monitor well at the east range mine shaft.

2010: The RI for the EAA Range 2 was delayed due to issues with resampling for explosives using Incremental Sampling and transect spacing. A draft FYR report for all of the Army Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) sites and munitions sites was completed in April.

2009: A remedial investigation (RI) was initiated for the minefield near the airport and EAA Range 2.

2008: The Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP) site investigation at closed and/or transferring ranges was completed in January. The only remaining MMRP concerns were at the minefield near the airport and the EAA Range 2 where munitions debris in the form of metal fragments on residential property near the former artillery range was found.

2005: Fort Huachuca began a site investigation of 18 closed or transferred ranges under the MMRP. A kick-off meeting was held on September 21.

2004: The east range mine shaft was monitored by three groundwater monitor wells and is currently undergoing FYRs. No detections of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been reported in groundwater samples from this site at any time during monitoring. A decision document summarizing the remedial investigation history and the change of status to FYRs was signed by ADEQ November 15. Inspections of the east range mine shaft are ongoing and conducted annually to ensure that the landfill liner cap and fence are still in place.

The east range mine shaft is located in a remote area of the east range, approximately 3 miles north of Sierra Vista. The shaft is believed to be approximately 200 feet deep and is now filled to grade with soil. A polyethylene liner was placed over the mine shaft in November 2000 and covered by 18 inches of soil. Material believed to be dumped into the shaft includes, but is not limited to, petroleum-based fuels, small aircraft/drone bodies and unexploded munitions. Waste was disposed of by depositing material into the shaft and burning it by adding gasoline and diesel fuel, until the practice was stopped in about 1980. Because of the potential for waste-derived contaminants to migrate to the regional aquifer, three groundwater monitor wells were installed at the site and sampled from 1990 to 2004.

2002: A decision document was signed by ADEQ in March closing out four more Installation Restoration Program (IRP) sites, including the Libby Army Airfield Fire training area-FTHU-52, vehicle paint booth-FTHU-66 and the TMP drum storage area-FTHU-67. Other IRP sites were either transferred to the ADEQ Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program or were closed out due to lack of any required remediation. The ADEQ Hazardous Waste Program oversees the permit at the east range Open Burn/Open Detonation (OB/OD) area.

2001 – 2002: Two additional groundwater monitoring wells were installed at the south range landfill in February 2001, and a third in March 2002. Groundwater monitoring well MW4 was placed in a perched aquifer and is no longer being monitored. Sampling of the groundwater has not detected contaminants above the AWQS.

2000: A decision document closing out six sites was signed off by ADEQ in October, including the tank trail dump site-FTHU-64, TMP automatic washrack-FTHU-68, TMP aboveground waste oil tank-FTHU-69, steam cleaning facility-FTHU-70, building #30033 pesticide mix-FTHU-74 and the AMSA washrack-FTHU-41 and 75. Confirmation sampling showed that none of the concentrations of contaminants detected exceeded the Arizona soil remediation levels or any regulatory requirements.

1999: An investigation into the groundwater began with the installation of a groundwater monitor well in September at the south range landfill.

1992: Two leachate wells were drilled at the south range landfill and have been sampled continuously.

1990s: Initial environmental assessments in the early 1990s identified 36 sites for further investigation under the IRP.

1940 – 1975: The south range landfill consists of two trenches that were used intermittently from 1940 to 1975. The south range landfill is located along Garden Canyon Road approximately 1.5 to 2 miles west of Sierra Vista and 2 miles south of Winrow Avenue. It is believed that while it was in use, pesticides and herbicides were deposited in the landfill along with other household garbage.

1877 – Present: Fort Huachuca has been an active U.S. Army Post since 1877. In 1971, the post became the United States Army Intelligence Center and School. The Strategic Communications Command became the U.S. Army Communications Command in 1973, then the U.S. Army Information Systems Command in 1984. In 1990, the U.S. Army training and doctrine command ran the post. Now, the U.S. Army Intelligence Center operates the post. The current primary mission is intelligence training and activities involving electronic and communication signals. Fort Huachuca is not a federal Superfund site. Funding for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) cleanup comes from the Army Environmental Restoration Program, formally called the Installation Restoration Program.