Remediation Gives Depot New Life

The 908-acre total Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) San Joaquin – Tracy site originated in 1942. As the second largest distribution center, DLA San Joaquin stores more than 426,000 different stock numbers valued at more than $6.8 billion. The depot has supported every major war and many contingency operations over the past seven decades.

Environmental studies have been ongoing at the Tracy site since 1980 when soil and groundwater contamination were first detected. A six-year investigation led to the Tracy site being listed on the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act’s National Priority List as a superfund site.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed the Tracy site on a listing to have construction complete in two years. With the need for design and construction of three additional remedial actions and preparation of two additional decision documents, this seemed impossible at the time. The team rose to the challenge — shortening formal document reviews from 60 to 30 days and recommending and implementing remedial action enhancements that saved $20 million and 27 years of treatment operations and monitoring.

The innovative use of pneumatic fracturing resulted in the removal of 170 percent more mass than estimated in the feasibility study and 14 months ahead of schedule. The site is now operating as it always has been logistically — but within a cleaner environment and new protocols to continue enhancement of the environment.