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PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

SACRAMENTO ARMY DEPOT
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA


CONCLUSIONS

From its evaluation of available environmental information, ATSDR has reached the following conclusions.

  1. From available information, ATSDR concludes that groundwater in the vicinity of the SP groundwater plume does not pose a current health hazard. The depot and the surrounding community currently receive their water from municipal wells, which are not affected by the SP groundwater plume. ATSDR assumes, therefore, that none of the private wells in the vicinity are used for drinking water purposes. Only one well has been confirmed to be in use, however for non-drinking water purposes. ATSDR concludes that exposure to this groundwater through dermal contact or incidental ingestion does not pose a public health hazard.

  2. Future exposures to groundwater in the vicinity of the SP groundwater plume should not cause a health hazard because remedial activities are ongoing to restore the groundwater to conditions acceptable for drinking.

  3. Populations were exposed in the past to groundwater contaminants in the vicinity of the SP groundwater plume. The concentrations that people were exposed to, however, were too low to pose a health hazard.

  4. All 55 sites identified at SADA can be classified as sites that pose "No Public Health Hazard" or "No Apparent Public Health Hazard" (Categories D and E--Appendix B).

  5. All 55 sites identified at SADA will pose no apparent public health hazard for the proposed reuse of the installation for industrial and commercial purposes.

RECOMMENDATIONS/PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION PLAN

The public health action plan (PHAP) for SADA contains a description of actions taken and those to be taken at and in the vicinity of the depot subsequent to the completion of this PHA. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this PHA not only identifies potential and ongoing public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.

Completed Actions

    SP Groundwater Plume

  1. Since 1989, 11 extraction wells have been installed in the vicinity of the SP groundwater plume to treat on-site water and to prevent additional migration to off-site locations.

    The Other 54 Areas of Potential Concern

  1. Areas with soil contamination were remediated using one or more of the following approaches: soil vapor extraction (SVE) treatment, (2) excavation, (3) bioremediation, and (4) air sparging technologies.

  2. Groundwater contaminants at the Freon 113 Area and at Parking Lot #3 were reduced using air sparging technologies.

Ongoing and Planned Actions

    SP Groundwater Plume

  1. Additional investigation is ongoing to more accurately delineate the SP groundwater plume. Included are these efforts:

  2. The groundwater treatment system will continue to operate until the groundwater contaminants are reduced to concentrations at or below federal MCLs or more stringent California standards.

  3. Groundwater monitoring will be conducted in compliance with a base-wide monitoring plan and 5-year review to ensure that clean-up levels are achieved and maintained.

  4. Additional extraction wells will be installed to prevent further migration of the plume if deemed necessary.

  5. ATSDR recommends that SADA conclusively determine the status of the wells. If they are not permanently abandoned, their exact usage should be clarified.

  6. The findings of this PHA were reviewed by the other Divisions of ATSDR and no follow- up health activities are recommended for SADA at this time. If additional information becomes available that may indicate a public health risk, this information will be evaluated by ATSDR.

    The Other 54 Areas of Potential Concern

  1. A groundwater treatment system will operate at Parking Lot #3 until contaminants are reduced to concentrations at or below federal MCLs or more stringent California standards.

  2. Groundwater monitoring will be conducted in compliance with a base-wide monitoring plan and 5-year review to ensure that clean-up levels are achieved and maintained.

PREPARERS OF REPORT

Amanda Dunnick Stoddard, M.P.H.
Environmental Health Scientist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation

Gary Campbell, Ph.D.
Environmental Health Scientist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation


REFERENCES

ATSDR. 1991. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Summary of site scoping visit conducted on April 24, 1991.

ATSDR. 1996. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Memorandum from Gwen Eng (Region IX) to Amanda Dunnick (Health Assessor). December 12, 1996.

ATSDR. 1997a. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Drinking water comparison values. 1997.

ATSDR. 1997b. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Health guidelines comparison values. 1997.

CA EPA. 1997. California Environmental Protection Agency. Division of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). Communication with Chris Parent of CA EPA. February 19, 1997.

CDHS. 1997. California Department of Health Services. Door-to-door survey to determine current well usage of the private wells near SADA. 1997.

CVRWQCB. 1997a. Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Communication with Robert Reeves of CVRWQCB. June 24, 1997.

CVRWQCB. 1997b. Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Communication with Robert Reeves of CVRWQCB. March 4, 1997.

CVRWQCB. 1997c. Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Communication with Robert Reeves of CVRWQCB. April 14, 1997.

DWR. 1997. Department of Water Resources. Communication with Alex Vasquez of DWR. April 18, 1997.

Ellis Company. 1997. Communication with Mrs. Johnson (president of Ellis Company). October 6, 1997.

EPA. 1993. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Record of decision fact sheet. June 1993.

EPA. 1994. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Groundwater cleanup fact sheet. August 1994.

EPA. 1996. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sacramento Army Depot Activity Fact Sheet. May 1996.

Foster Wheeler. 1995. Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation. Base Realignment and Closure Cleanup Plan--Version 2. October 1995.

Harrison. 1997. Communication with Mrs. Harrison (owner of the property that Ellis Company is located on). October 7, 1997.

Kleinfelder. 1989. Record of decision for on-site groundwater remediation at the Sacramento Army Depot. 1989.

Kleinfelder. 1991. Record of decision: Sacramento Army Depot Tank 2 Operable Unit. September 25, 1991.

Kleinfelder. 1992. Record of decision: Sacramento Army Depot Oxidation Lagoons Operable Unit. March 31, 1992.

Kleinfelder. 1995. Record of decision: Sacramento Army Depot Basewide. January 7, 1995.

Kleinfelder. 1996a. Basewide remedial investigation report. May 24, 1996.

Kleinfelder. 1996b. Annual groundwater monitoring report at Sacramento Army Depot Activity. March 1996.

Kleinfelder. 1997a. Draft basewide human health risk assessment, Sacramento Army Depot, Sacramento, California. January 15, 1997.

Kleinfelder. 1997b. Communication with Randi Nelson of Kleinfelder. June 30, 1997.

Kleinfelder. 1997c. Communication with Pamela Wee of Kleinfelder. February 19, 1997.

Kleinfelder. 1997d. Communication with Pamela Wee of Kleinfelder. March 19, 1997.

Kleinfelder. 1997e. Communication with Pamela Wee of Kleinfelder. July 2, 1997.

SADA. 1997a. Sacramento Army Depot Activity. Communication with John Suazo of SADA. May 5, 1997.

SADA. 1997b. Sacramento Army Depot Activity. Communication with John Suazo of SADA. February 19, 1997.

SADA. 1997c. Sacramento Army Depot Activity. Communication with John Suazo of SADA. March 25, 1997.

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