Human Health and Ecological Risk / Environmental Investigations, Letterkenny Army Ammunition Depot, BRAC Site

U.S. Army Environmental Center and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, under contract to Weston Solutions, Inc.



Overview:

• Conducted human health and ecological risk assessments and environmental assessments at numerous sites throughout the depot
• Biological surveys, Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) analysis, and wetland delineations were conducted to assess contaminant impacts and to identify key
• On-site sampling and analysis programs; multi-media impact assessment; topographic data interpretation; CERCLA and RCRA compliance; and remedial design support at a BRAC site
• Coordinated assessment approaches with several stakeholder groups, including federal and state regulatory agencies

“Your close attention to detail and devotion to the BRAC process is commendable and worthy of recognition. You quickly resolved complex and critical issues, which allowed the Army to complete the many assignments necessary for the LEAD realignment…Thank you for your commitment to duty and continuous efforts. Your prompt response and sound judgment are greatly appreciated.”
— Paul Kerin, General, U.S. Army Commanding Officer

Description:

Avatar has been conducting ecological and human health risk assessments for 14 Operable Units on LEAD under the U.S. Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program. At the base of the Appalachian Mountain range in the Cumberland Valley of south-central Pennsylvania, the areas under investigation encompass approximately 2,500 acres and represent a variety of habitats (e.g., spring-fed streams and lacustrine waters, tussock-sedge wetlands, transition needle-leaf and deciduous forests) and land use conditions (residential, commercial, and agricultural).

Monitoring studies and onsite sampling have included the collection and analysis of over 100 game and forage fish and invertebrate tissue samples to support the human health and ecological risk assessments, as well as a variety of ecological surveys, including threatened and endangered species, predatory bird, and fishery surveys, that enabled more adequate definition of potentially exposed receptor species, including threatened and endangered species. Risk assessments have employed cutting-edge spatial and temporal analysis of potential exposure, as well as advanced and sophisticated approaches to dietary exposure modeling of both terrestrial and aquatic receptors. In addition to conducting the assessments, Avatar has been intimately involved in the negotiation of technical issues between the Army, the EPA, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).