The Army is rejecting an order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency demanding it lead a hazardous waste cleanup process at Fort George G. Meade.
“The installation is very concerned that the order would seriously delay progress on the cleanup work, especially this year,” said Col. Kenneth McCreedy, the fort?s commander, in a written statement.
In August, the EPA issued the order on how to clean up chemicals and unexploded munitions at various spots in the fort.
But since 1998, when the fort was put on the national hazardous waste site list, the Army has spent $83 million to clean up the installation. EPA?s increased involvement would delay the process by adding extra bureaucracy, McCreedy said in an interview Thursday.
“We still plan with the EPA, Maryland Department of the Environment and the community advisory board on the cleanup,” McCreedy said.
Several sites at Fort Meade had high levels of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals, some 25 times above the federal standard, according to the EPA. The contamination resulted from leaking chemicals and unexploded munitions.
The EPA rejected the Army?s appeals earlier this month and upheld the August order. Now the Army is seeking “review within the federal government in an effort to resolve the disagreement with EPA,” fort officials said.
The EPA did not answer specific questions about the Army?s claims.
“EPA?s order was issued to ensure that the work proceeds under appropriate agency oversight to protect the health of the soldiers, family members and civilians who live and work in the area,” said EPA spokeswoman Roxanne Smith in a written statement.
The Army also said the EPA has changed it rhetoric on the safety of the site by elevating the contamination?s threat to people.
The EPA said in August that the drinking water is safe because the contamination is in an unused shallow aquifer.
