HISTORY OF MY EFFORT TO GET THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO

6,79
MB CLEAN UP SPRING VALLEY, A CHEMICAL WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT

98
stron AND TEST SITE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

3785
ID DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

2005
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION 1

A History Of Chemical Warfare 1

University Research In W.W.I 2

Chemical Companies And Other W.W.I Facilities 2

A Primer On The Science And Concepts In Cleaning Up A Chemical Weapons Site, Like the

American University Experiment Station (AUES) 3

My Involvement With Spring Valley 4

Chapter One

A HISTORY OF THE SPRING VALLEY SITE 5

Chapter Two 5

MY FIRST TWO STUDIES OF THE SPRING VALLEY SITE FINAL REPORT ON THE W.W.I

POISON GAS PRODUCTION AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY EXPERIMENT STATION 6

Chronology and site description 6

Documentation on work at site 8

Specific Structures 10

Dispersion Tests 11

Remaining Unexploded Chemical Ordnance 12

Burial Operation 13

Conclusion 15

CONCERNS OVER THE ADEQUACY OF THE REMEDIATION EFFORTS AT THESPRING VALLEY

EXPERIMENT STATION 16

My Original Concerns about Remaining Contamination 16

A. Inadequate Sampling 16

B. Health Impact 18

C. Environmental Impact 18

D. Over-Reliance On Expertise of Personnel 18

Concerns about Remaining Unexploded Ordnance and Chemical Containers 19

E. Over-Reliance On Expertise 19

F. Little Available Knowledge On W.W. I Experimental Ordnance 19

G. Experience Limited Due To Uniqueness Of Site 20

H. Anomaly Review Board Protocols Excluded Laboratory Equipment Signatures 20

I. Equipment Limitations 21

J. Areas Not Searched 21

K, Community Right to Know 22

Chapter Three 22

MY INITIAL SUCCESS AS A STATE REGULATOR ON SPRING VALLEY

The House Next Door 23

The Partnering Effort 23

Chapter Four 23

MYTHS AND FALSEHOODS REGARDING THE AUES

1995 No Further Action Report Problems 24

Small Laboratory Quantities of Toxic Material 25

Chapter Five 25

THE GLASS STOPPER

Chapter Six 26

THE DISCOVERY OF THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (CDC) AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY



Chapter Seven 27

THE CONTINUING SEARCH FOR BURIAL SITES

Subsequent Report On 1921 Article In Campus Newspaper 28

Report of the burial of shells by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) 32

Executive Summary 32

Introduction 33

Findings 34

Recommendations 40

Burial Pit Found by Civil War Relic Hunter 41

The Hopeless Hollows Burial Areas 42

Background 42

Historical Photographs 43

Historical Maps 43

Historical Documents 43

Previous Sampling Results 43

Previous Geophysical Results 43

Review And Evaluation 44

Lot 18 on the American University Campus 44

Aerial Photographs 44

Chapter Eight 44

FINDING THE RANGE IMPACT AREAS

Westmoreland Circle Impact Area 44

Livens Projector Battery Impact Area 46

Dalecarlia Impact Area 46

Chapter Nine 47

EXPANDING THE BOUNDARY

New Boundaries 48

Chapter Ten 48

NEW POINTS OF INTEREST (POIs)

Background 48

Ground Scar At Junction of Trails 49

Additional Concrete Bunkers, Magazines and Explosive Chambers 49

Livens Gun Pit 50

Rows of Spots 50

Burial Sites For Leaking Shells 51

Old Mustard Field And Linear Testing Troughs 52

Linear Testing Troughs Erroneously Labeled as an Airstrip 53

Circular Testing Fields 54

Toxic Smoke Candles 54

Munitions Plants 54

100 x 100 Foot Persistency Test Area 54

Ground Scars Far Back on University Acres (now Lot 18) 55

Debris Field at Third Glenbrook Road Property 55

Anomaly Areas Within the Dalecarlia Reservoir 55

Rockwood Six 55

Sedgwick Vicinity Ground Scars 57

52"d Court Pit and Trenches 57

Conclusion 60

Chapter Eleven 60

THE HISTORY OF LEWISITE AND A SPEECH BY W. LEE LEWIS 11/23/1921

History Of Lewisite 60

Speech By W. Lee Lewis 61

Chapter Twelve 63

ARSENIC CONTAMINATION CLEANUP

Properties Of Concern Noted In The ACOE Arsenic Grid Sampling Data 63

The Problem With Arsenic 64

Chapter Thirteen 66

SECRET SAMPLING FOR THE AUES LIST CONDUCTED BY THE CORPS

Sequence of Events 66

Generic Comments 66

Specific Constituents 67

Comments on Risk 70

Comments on Implications for the Spring Valley Project 70

Chapter Fourteen 71

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION

Chapter Fifteen 72

FUTURE NECESSARY WORK AT THE SPRING VALLEY SITE

Chapter Sixteen 72

CONCERTED EFFORT TO DENY THE EXISTENCE OF, OR LIABILITY FOR, ADDITIONAL

BURIAL SITES

Chapter Seventeen 73

REQUESTS DIRECTED TO THE CORPS:

Chapter Eighteen 74

REQUESTS DIRECTED TO THE EPA

Chapter Nineteen 75

ROLE OF THE STATES IN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF MILITARY SITES

Chapter Twenty 75

HISTORY OF PERCHLORATE USE AT AUES AND THE NEED TO SAMPLE THE

GROUNDWATER TO TRY TO LOCATE BURIAL SITES

Chapter Twenty-one 76

AREAS OF INTEREST I HAVE DEVELOPED

Rick Woods Burial Pit 77

Dalecarlia Impact Area 77

Sedgwick Ground Scars 78

52B<rCourt Pit And Trenches 78

Sandra Sharpe Bunker On Seminary 81

Westmoreland Circle Impact Area 81

Major Tolman's Field 83

Tenleytown Station 84

Third Circular Trench 84

Weaver Farm 85

Railroad Sidings 86

Mercury Contamination Areas 87

Antimony Contamination Areas 87

Third Pit (Hole) On Korean Ambassador's Property 88

SUMMARY OF MY WORK 89

APPENDIX I 89