Helping the Navy Adress Human Health Risks

For the past several years, Battelle has been supporting the United States Navy in remediating and closing sites as part of Installation Restoration (IR) Program activities at the former Long Beach Naval Complex (LBNC). The former LBNC, located on the south side of Terminal Island within the Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbor districts, encompasses the former Naval Station Long Beach and the former Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Over the years, industrial activities at the sites had resulted in contamination of soil and groundwater that were deemed as potential threats to human health and the environment if not addressed effectively. The ultimate goal of the IR Program at these sites is to complete the cleanup so that the former LNBC property can be transferred to the City of Long Beach with a covenant in the deed warranting that all necessary remedial action has been taken.

Human health risk assessments were conducted for the sites at the former LBNC as part of remedial investigations performed by previous contractors. Battelle prepared feasibility studies, proposed plans, and records of decision for 11 of the 16 sites.

The remedial alternatives evaluated for the feasibility studies were based on ecological risk and human health risk exposure scenarios. Because this site has been redeveloped as a port and is never expected to be used for residential or other sensitive purposes (e.g., hospital or daycare), the worker scenarios developed for the risk assessment were deemed appropriate. The evaluation of ecological risk was prompted by the fact that contaminants in groundwater have the potential to migrate to the marine environment.

A key strategy for the Navy and the port in addressing the human health risks was to isolate the areas of concern that presented an exposure risk and either treat or remove the contaminants or implement institutional controls such as land use restrictions for the impacted area. These restrictions provided safeguards to maintain the current land use and reduce the risk of exposure to site workers. Battelle continues to support the Navy in its efforts to comply with the requirements of the IR Program.

For more information on Battelle’s capabilities in supporting installation restoration/base realignment and closure site closeout programs, contact Mr. Phil Jagucki at (614) 424-7081, jagucki@battelle.org.