Remediation in the CNMI

The Division of Environmental Quality Site Assessment and Remediation branch protects public health and the environment by ensuring the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites as a result of the release of hazardous substances.

This branch is responsible for the oversight and enforcement of the response action undertaken to mitigate the contamination at the site, which includes reviewing and providing substantive comments, before implementation, of all remedial action work plans (including sampling and analysis plans and quality assurance plans); implementing the Site Discovery, Preliminary Assessment and Site Inspection program, and the Brownfields 128a State Response Program under Superfund; and coordinating with the US Army Corps of Engineers with Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) activities.

One of the CNMI’s most significant remediation projects is the on-site treatment of the PCB contaminated soils excavated and removed within the Tanapag village area including the Tanapag Cemetary in Lower Base. The project was completed in June of 2003 with the removal and treatment, using Indirect Thermal Desorption (ITD) technology, of over 40,000 tons of PCB contaminated soils. The ITD process treated the contaminated soils to a concentration below 1 part per million, which is the action level set by US EPA, thus requiring no shipment of treated soils off-island. The DEQ, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, held public meetings to involve the community in the remedial action process, including the selection of the cleanup technology and eventual implementation of the project. Fifteen years prior to the completion of the project, in 1988 over 50 PCB containing electrical capacitors were discovered around the Tanapag Village.

Also in Tanapag village, six aboveground storage tanks were removed in 2006. The Tanapag Fuel Farm, built in the mid to late 1940s, was used by the U.S. Navy to provide fuel for ships and aircraft during World War II and through the 1950s, after which the tanks were abandoned. Historical information suggests there were up to 42 tanks which held different types of gas and oil. A survey conducted in 1998 by the US Army Corps of Engineers revealed that 25 tanks were still visible on the ground. Of those tanks, this removal effort is aimed at six that were considered high priority, due to their residual content of petroleum product, and consequently removed in June 2006.

This joint effort not only rid the Tanapag community of these potential health hazards, but also trained DEQ staff in the areas of planning, assessment, sampling, health and safety monitoring, cleanup and project management.

One year later in 2007, DEQ, together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the Limited Excavation and Capping of the former Kagman Airfield Dumpsite.

A depth of 18 inches, from surface, of lead contaminated soils was excavated from the entire 2 acres site amounting to nearly 15,000 cubic yards. Some areas were excavated beyond 18 inches to chase the contaminants to below the lead action level concentration of 200 parts per million (ppm). Soil samples were analyzed on-site using an X-Ray Fluorescent (XRF) field analyzer. XRF results showing concentration above 200ppm resulted in further excavation until the XRF reveals a level below 200ppm. Some of the soil samples were analyzed at an off-island laboratory for confirmation with the XRF results. The Army Corps of Engineers used the multi-incremental sampling method to collect soils samples from the entire site.

To date, the project is nearing completion. The final stage of the project will be the backfilling of the excavated area at the site using “clean” soil. At this time, SAR is coordinating with the Army Corps for this final restoration phase of the site.

One of the most recent, and exciting, activities of the SAR branch is the awarding of $400,000 in Brownfields grants. DEQ will receive $200,000 to continue assessment of hazardous substance sites and support community outreach activities. Another $200,000 will be provided to the Dept. of Public Lands for the cleanup of WWII unexploded ordnance on the northern end of Saipan. Eventually, this cleanup will allow for the development of approximately 500 new homesteads for local residents. In 2007, DEQ received a grant award of $200,000 for the assessment of petroleum contaminated sites CNMI-wide.

Looking ahead, the SAR branch has generated an inventory list of 66 potential brownfields sites collectively for the following islands: Saipan 36, Rota 19, and Tinian 11. The assessment grants for petroleum and hazardous subsance will be used for the Phase I assessment of the sites identified to be eligible brownfields. The SAR brach will work with the individual property owners to determine their interest to particiapate in this program. Once determine eligible, SAR will obtain an access agreement to coduct the Phase I activity. SAR expects to implement the Phase I environmental site assessments beginning this FY08 and hope to conduct at least 10 assessments for any given year.

For more information about the Site Assessment and Remediation branch, contact Ray Masga at 664-8500 or email him at raymasga@deq.gov.mp. [B][I](DEQ)[/I][/B]