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BFF leaders provide update to Albuquerque community during public meeting

By SSgt Enrique Barcelo, 377 ABW PA / Published November 19, 2019

Members of the community attend the Kirtland Air Force Base fuel leak cleanup public meeting at the African American Performing Arts Center in Albuquerque, N.M., Sept. 20, 2019. The meeting served to keep the community informed to the progress being made and steps that are being taken along the way. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Enrique Barceló)
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Members of the community attend the Kirtland Air Force Base fuel leak cleanup public meeting at the African American Performing Arts Center in Albuquerque, N.M., Nov. 7, 2019. The meeting served to keep the community informed to the progress being made and steps that are being taken along the way. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Enrique Barceló)

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KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --

Air Force officials provided a status update and answered questions about the Bulk Fuels Facility (BFF) project, during a public meeting at the African American Performing Arts Center, Nov. 7, 2019.

After a fuel leak was discovered in 1999, a unique partnership between the Air Force, government regulators, and the Albuquerque community began in order to clean up the fuel plume and ensure drinking water supply wells continue to provide safe, clean drinking water to Albuquerque residents.

“I hope that when you see the progress we’ve made you can see that we’ve pulled that plume back well away from anywhere near the municipal drinking water wells.” said Kate Lynnes, BFF clean-up senior advisor. “You’ll take confidence that we’re doing this with an endpoint in mind.”

Although treatment measures have passed the investigation phase, the Air Force has been working with the State of New Mexico and several local agencies to add redundancies into its clean-up project, to include adding an additional pump.

“There’s no plan to turn the [current] system off,” said Scott Clark, Air Force civil engineer. “We’re going to continue running it. Our goal is to kill this plume.”

After speakers presented their slides, audience members were given an opportunity to ask questions.

The next public meeting is set to take place April 30, 2020.