PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
BANGOR NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE
AND
BANGOR ORDNANCE DISPOSAL (USNAVY)
SILVERDALE, KITSAP COUNTY, WASHINGTON
COMMUNITY HEALTH CONCERNS EVALUATION
A public availability session was held by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) on February 23, 1999, in order to gather community health concerns related to off-site groundwater contamination originating from Operable Unit - 8. Since no other areas of off-site contamination were identified, only residents living in the Mountain View Road Area were solicited to attend. The session was held at the Central Kitsap Junior High School from 6 - 8 p.m. The following concerns were recorded and are addresses below:
1. One resident who had been connected to the Silverdale public water supply asked when he could begin using his well again.
Groundwater contaminants originating at the Public Works area of the base have moved southeast into the Mountain View Road area. Some of the residential wells have shown contamination and continue to be tested by Bangor. Cleanup operations in the Public Works area have been ongoing since August 1986. The persistence of groundwater contamination in the Mountain View Road area will depend upon what final remedy is chosen for the site. It is likely that contaminants originating at the Public Works area will threaten residential wells in the area for several more years.
Agreements were reached between Bangor and residents in the Mountain View Road area regarding the use of private wells. Each resident should have a copy of their agreement which outlines requirements pertaining to their well. Agreements reached for wells that were not closed likely contain provisions that the owner discontinue all use of the well until the groundwater is deemed safe for human consumption. Residents will be notified by Bangor and/or the local health department when groundwater contamination in the Mountain View Road area has declined below safe levels. Please contact the Bangor Installation Restoration Program office at 360-396-5099 for updates on remedial efforts in the Mountain View Road area.
2. A representative from the local health department indicated the following community health concerns:
Private wells in the Mountain View Road area continue to be regularly tested for VOCs and have been tested for pesticides in the past. In September 1994, Bromacil was detected in one private well at 24 ppb prior to its use as a domestic supply. This herbicide has since been detected in on-site wells at a maximum of 69 ppb. No other pesticides have been detected in on-site monitoring wells located at Site 25 which is adjacent to the Mountain View Road area.
As recommended in completed exposure Pathway 1 (see page 20), residents in the Mountain View Road area should have their wells tested for bromacil prior to resumption of use as a domestic water supply. Residents should be aware of their agreements with Bangor regarding the use of their wells.
A radiologic assessment of Bangor was released in May 1998 by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Radiological Control Office.29 This assessment concluded that activities associated with radiation use at Bangor have resulted in no adverse impacts on human health or the environment. The report cites a similar conclusion reached by EPA in a survey released in 1989.
Shellfish contamination along Hood Canal has been minimal and poses no health hazard. The proximity of the former Floral Point landfill to Hood Canal is cause for concern relative to the migration of contaminants via groundwater or sediment erosion. However, the beach at Floral Point has been closed during the past several years of environmental investigations. Although sampling of shellfish at Floral Point indicates no health hazard from ingestion, only littleneck clams have been sampled. DOH recommends in this document that additional species be tested for contaminants of concern prior to re-opening this beach for shellfish harvesting. Exposure to contaminants in fish and shellfish from Cattail Lake and Hood Canal is addresses under completed exposure Pathway 2 (see page 21).
The Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) for Naval Submarine Base Bangor is outlined below. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this health assessment not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to prevent or mitigate adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. Included is a commitment on the part of ATSDR and DOH to ensure that these actions are taken.
Actions Taken
Bangor has taken remedial action at all hazardous waste sites identified as posing a potential hazard to human health. Of the eight operable units into which these sites have been grouped, seven have signed Records of Decision outlining future remedial activities that have been agreed to by Bangor, Ecology and EPA. Remedial action has been ongoing at Operable Unit-8 and a Record of Decision is expected in the near future.
Bangor has addressed the off-base groundwater contaminant plume in the Mountain View Road area by first supplying residents with bottled water in April 1995 followed connections to the Silverdale public water supply in by the end of that same year. The Mountain View Road area is the only area of off-base contamination.
Actions Proposed
Bangor should sample inactive public supply well SO6 to ensure that ordnance compounds from the shallow aquifer near Site F (OU-2) have not migrated into the sea-level aquifer.
Bangor should sample private well 5L-1, located near Site A (OU-1) in Vinland, for ordnance compounds to ensure that this well is free of contaminants.
Bangor should consult with DOH regarding additional sampling of shellfish at Floral Point prior to opening of the beach in this area for shellfishing.
DOH and ATSDR are available to review any additional data involving potential human exposure to environmental contamination related to Bangor.
DOH will forward the entire text of the public comment received concerning explosive safety issues to the Installation Restoration Program at Bangor and the Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity.
Robert M. Duff
Washington State Department of Health
Office of Environmental Health Assessments
Carole D. Hossom
Technical Project Officer
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
1. Hart Crowser. Final Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. Volume I. Site A Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Washington. Prepared for: Engineering Field Activity, Northwest. Naval Facilities Engineering Command. August 1, 1991.
2. Hart Crowser. Final Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. Volume I.. Site F Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Washington. Prepared for: Engineering Field Activity, Northwest. Naval Facilities Engineering Command. November 12, 1993.
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. Superfund Program. Internet: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites.
4. EA Engineering, Science, and Technology. Draft-Final Remedial Investigation Report, Operable Unit 8, Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Kitsap County, Washington. Volume I. Prepared for: U.S. Navy, Engineering Field Activity, Northwest. November 1998.
5. Hart Crowser. Technical Memorandum NO.11, To: Ellen Brown, EFA, NW; From: Steve Germiat and Dave Heffner. March 5, 1999.
6. Hart Crowser. Technical Memorandum NO.7, To: Gerry Reiger, EFA, NW); From: Steve Germiat and Dave Heffner. May 15, 1997.
7. URS Consultants. Final Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, Operable Unit 3, Sites 16/24 and 25, Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, Washington. Prepared for: Engineering Field Activity, Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. Revised April 13, 1993.
8. URS Consultants. Final RI/FS, Volume 1 of 4, Main Report. Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, Operable Unit 4, Site C, Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, Washington. Prepared for: Engineering Field Activity, Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. May 1993.
9. URS Consultants. Operable Unit 5, Final RI/FS Report, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, Washington. Prepared for: Engineering Field Activity, Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. December 30, 1992
10. URS Consultants. Final Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, Operable Unit 6, Volume 1 of 3, Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, Washington. Prepared for: Engineering Field Activity, Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. December 1993.
11. URS Consultants. Final Remedial Investigation Report for Operable Unit 7, SUBASE Bangor, Bremerton, Washington. Prepared for: Engineering Field Activity, Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. October 28, 1994.
12. Agency for Toxic Substances And Disease Registry. Memorandum. From: Acting Director, Office of Environmental Health Assessment, To: Mr. Joel Mulder. May 22, 1986.
13. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Preliminary Public Health Assessment for Bangor Ordnance Disposal (Naval Submarine Base Site A), Bangor, Kitsap County, Washington, CERCLIS NO. WA7170027265. April 10, 1989.
14. Personal Communication from Patty Kelly (Bangor) to Rob Duff (DOH). October 12, 1999.
15. Washington State Department of Health. File: Naval Submarine Base, Bangor. Demographics map received from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
16. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Landview III, Environmental Mapping Software, Disc 9 of 10. December 1997.
17. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for 1,2-Dichloroethane. May 1994.
18. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Internet: http://www.epa.gov/iris. September 1999.
19. Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation. Draft Technical Memorandum NO.2, Site 26 Hood Canal Sediment Monitoring , Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, Washington. January 15, 1999.
20. Washington State Department of Health. Evaluation of Bangor Sediments. July 1997.
21. Hart Crowser. Letter. To: Ms. Ellen Brown, Engineering Field Activity, Northwest; From: Steve Germiat; Re; Spring Groundwater Monitoring Results, SUBASE, Bangor, Site A, Silverdale, Washington.
22. Hart Crowser. Technical Memorandum NO.12, To: Ellen Brown, EFA, NW; From: Steve Germiat and Dave Heffner. July 8, 1999.
23. Teleconference. Beverly Pavlicek (Bangor) and Robert Duff (WA DOH). August 12, 1999.
24. Hart Crowser. Compliance and Performance Monitoring Plan for Enhanced Groundwater Remediation System, Naval Submarine Base, Bangor Site F, Silverdale, Washington. Revision No. 1. September 14, 1999.
25. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene. June 1995
26. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for 2,4-and 2,6-Dinitrotoluene. December 1998.
27. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for RDX. June 1995.
28. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for 1,3-Dinitrobenzene/1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene. June 1995.
29. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Radiological Control Office. Historical Radiological Assessment, Naval Submarine Base Bangor. May 1998.
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