Community leaders tour restoration sites

  • Published
  • By Scott Moorman
  • 96th Civil Engineer Squadron
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Most base tour groups crave to see Air Force fighter jets screaming across the sky or the latest development in air-delivered weaponry, not decades-old fuel spill sites and former disposal pits.

However, Eglin and Hurlburt Field Restoration Advisory Board members delighted in a rare opportunity provided by the 96th Civil Engineer Group to visit several ongoing environmental cleanup sites here in May.

Serving as a community involvement program between local citizens and the Air Force regarding environmental issues, the RAB consists of military environmental officials, state environmental regulators and representatives from Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties.

"This was our chance to showcase what we do at Eglin and give our community members a better grasp of how we accomplish our fundamental goal of protecting human health and the environment," said Robin Bjorklund, 96th CEG Environmental Restoration Program manager and tour host. "We hope to demonstrate how our environmental cleanup systems work rather than the normal slideshow presentation at our annual meeting."

Ms. Bjorklund said the tour began at the Air Combat Command jet fuel tank farm on Nomad Way, an area currently being treated for groundwater contamination from past fuel spills.

"As I talked to the community board members about each component of the fuel extraction system I could point it out and explain how it works and why it's important to the cleanup process," said Brain Kelly, ERP project manager who monitors the spill site. "The extraction concept isn't necessarily complicated, but it's much easier to comprehend when you're standing in front of it."

Walt Spence Jr., Okaloosa County representative said he was fascinated by the groundwater treatment and thought the information Mr. Kelly provided was quite useful.

"The process has been described several times during meetings, however, I didn't really understand exactly how the system worked until I was able to visit the site and see it for myself," he said. "After seeing it first hand, it all makes more sense."

The tour also stopped at a former disposal pit west of the flight line. Sloping nearly 100 feet into a pond, the area served as a dumping site that included partially buried 55-gallon drums, construction debris, asphalt and an old pick-up truck.

Ms. Bjorklund said this site was a perfect example of some of the challenges her staff face while overseeing cleanup projects and wanted to show the board members the Air Force was adamant about taking care of the environment.

This disposal pit was in a deep ravine leading down to a pond, she said. In addition, the soil was contaminated with pesticides and needed to be removed to prevent contaminates from affecting the water quality.

Highlighting the tour was a former munitions burial pit currently being excavated under the Military Munitions Response Program.

John Kochefko, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers MMRP project manager, gave community members a guided tour through the MMRP area and walked them through the clean-up process.

Once the site is identified and experts confirm the presence of munitions, explosive-certified technicians excavate the munitions, inspect the recovered material and decide if it poses a threat, he said. If it could be dangerous, a shape charge is used to puncture a hole in the casing and the item is re-inspected until it can be certified safe and sent for recycling.

"I was really impressed with the munitions cleanup operation," said Charlie Brown, Santa Rosa County representative. "This group is meticulous about cleaning up the base ranges and keeping everyone safe."

With the large quantity of munitions sties on Eglin, the MMRP will be an ongoing issue and concern for RAB members, he said. "The more informed everyone is about our safety standards and removal process, the less likely the public will raise concerns."

Currently, there are six community board members representing Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa Counties.

As its name suggests, the RAB is an advisory board and does not make policy. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Florida Department of Environmental Protection laws hold the Air Force ultimate responsibility for making decisions regarding environmental cleanups.

However, the RAB gives local residents an opportunity to help base officials understand community concerns early in the process. As progress is made toward a cleanup proposal, many of the issues raised in the RAB will have already been addressed, making the final proposal more of a cooperative effort.