Assabet River NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Assabet River NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assabet River NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- 26 - Chapter 3: Refuge and Resource Descriptions Other Contaminant Issues The USEPA designated the Fort Devens Sudbury Training Annex as a national priorities list (NPL) superfund site in 1990 based on environmental studies that had been conducted by the Army. Under USEPA and MADEP oversight, the Army completed investigations and, where necessary, cleanup actions at 73 locations that were identified through record searches, interviews with past and current employees and field sampling results as being potentially contaminated. Facility-wide investigations of groundwater hydrology and quality, background soil contaminant concentrations and surface water and sediment quality were conducted. In addition, a site-wide investigation of potential arsenic contamination in soil, water, sediment, plants and soil invertebrates was completed (USEPA 2000). The 73 specific sites investigated included individual, abandoned empty drums, disturbed ground and vegetation, underground fuel storage tanks, demolition grounds, solvent and waste dumps, test clothing burial areas, refuse dumps, old gravel pits, chemical disposal sites, etc. The U.S. Army’s master environmental plan, revised and reissued in December 1995 provided a status report of Army actions on these sites (U.S. Army 1995). The USEPA issued a final close out report for the 73 sites at the Fort Devens Sudbury Training Annex in September 2000 (USEPA 2000). Of the 73 sites investigated on the Fort Devens Training Annex, USEPA and MADEP determined: 18 were classified no contamination found; 11 were classified no contamination found following an enhanced area reconnaissance; 9 were classified as posing no risk to humans or wildlife following preliminary risk assessments; 5 were classified as having no contamination found following a full risk assessment; 12 were classified as posing no risk to humans or wildlife following a full risk assessment; 16 sites were subjected to removal actions, with confirmatory sampling indicating there was no residual risk to humans or wildlife; 1 site was considered to be free of risk to humans and wildlife, but an additional set of testing results were to be evaluated for confirmation; and, 1 site (A7) was classified as no further action following construction of a full, lined and capped landfill at the site. Long-term monitoring by the Army for groundwater quality, landfill cap integrity and site fencing condition is required at site A7. The USEPA final close out report is available at the refuge headquarters in Sudbury. Formal de-listing of the property from the national priority list has occurred. Assabet River NWR
Chapter 3: Refuge and Resource Descriptions The Service accepted the transfer of the Sudbury Training Annex subject to our complying with certain long-term institutional controls. These institutional controls were established by the Army and USEPA in consultation with MADEP and the Service. They restrict the Service from conducting any actions that will impair the integrity of the landfill cap, liner, topography, etc. at site A7, and from allowing the construction of residences within 50 feet of the center line of the former World War II era railroad beds and the former internal Army fence line/firebreak along what the Army called the Patrol Road. According to the bioaccumulation study at Puffer Pond, mercury, zinc and DDT degradation products are present in fish tissue from Puffer Pond; however, the levels were generally below available regional and national background fish tissue levels. This report concluded that the site-related human health and ecological risks associated with the use of Puffer Pond are not likely to be greater than those associated with the use of any other local pond. Puffer Pond is listed in the Massachusetts Department of Public Health freshwater fish consumption advisory list for mercury hazard. The advisory states that “the general public should not consume any fish from this water body.” Physical Safety Hazards Open wells, like this one, are being secured: Photo by Marijke Holtrop Assabet River NWR has been closed to the public due to a number of unmitigated safety hazards. These include: at least 33 open, hand-dug farm wells that pre-date the Army, some concertina wire, some smooth communication wire in the woods. Most of the concertina wire, the large utility pole physical fitness obstacle course and fencing have all been removed by or with help from the Friends of the Assabet River NWR. We do not need to remove the bunkers as they are covered with vegetation and have blended into the habitat. Comprehensive Conservation Plan - 27 -
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Chapter 3: Refuge <strong>and</strong> Resource Descriptions<br />
The <strong>Service</strong> accepted the transfer of the Sudbury Training Annex subject<br />
to our complying with certain long-term institutional controls. These<br />
institutional controls were established by the Army <strong>and</strong> USEPA in<br />
consultation with MADEP <strong>and</strong> the <strong>Service</strong>. They restrict the <strong>Service</strong> from<br />
conducting any actions that will impair the integrity of the l<strong>and</strong>fill cap,<br />
liner, topography, etc. at site A7, <strong>and</strong> from allowing the construction of<br />
residences within 50 feet of the center line of the former World War II era<br />
railroad beds <strong>and</strong> the former internal Army fence line/firebreak along what<br />
the Army called the Patrol Road.<br />
According to the bioaccumulation study at Puffer Pond, mercury, zinc <strong>and</strong><br />
DDT degradation products are present in fish tissue from Puffer Pond;<br />
however, the levels were generally below available regional <strong>and</strong> national<br />
background fish tissue levels. This report concluded that the site-related<br />
human health <strong>and</strong> ecological risks associated with the use of Puffer Pond<br />
are not likely to be greater than those associated with the use of any other<br />
local pond. Puffer Pond is listed in the Massachusetts Department of Public<br />
Health freshwater fish consumption advisory list for mercury hazard. The<br />
advisory states that “the general public should not consume any fish from<br />
this water body.”<br />
Physical Safety Hazards<br />
Open wells, like this one, are being secured: Photo<br />
by Marijke Holtrop<br />
<strong>Assabet</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>NWR</strong> has been closed to the public due to a number of<br />
unmitigated safety hazards. These include:<br />
at least 33 open, h<strong>and</strong>-dug farm wells that pre-date the Army,<br />
some concertina wire,<br />
some smooth communication wire in the woods.<br />
Most of the concertina wire, the large utility pole<br />
physical fitness obstacle course <strong>and</strong> fencing have all<br />
been removed by or with help from the Friends of the<br />
<strong>Assabet</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>NWR</strong>. We do not need to remove the<br />
bunkers as they are covered with vegetation <strong>and</strong> have<br />
blended into the habitat.<br />
Comprehensive Conservation Plan - 27 -
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