Kirtland and partners present new initiatives at fuel spill public meeting

  • Published
  • By Lee Ross
  • Nucleus editor
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Air Force Civil Engineering Center, New Mexico Environment Department and Kirtland held a community meeting March 12 at the African American Performing Arts Center here to give an update on an ongoing fuel spill cleanup at the base and in the surrounding community.

The soil and groundwater contamination resulted from a long-term leak at a bulk fuels storage facility at Kirtland. The current initiatives are designed to remediate the spill and protect drinking water sources, which are not currently contaminated. The most recent activity to help clean the spill has been the installation of several wells at Kirtland and the area near the base to better define the area of the fuel plume and for use as extraction wells.

Another part of the effort, called soil vapor extraction, has helped with progress cleaning up the spill, according to Adria Bodour, an environmental scientist with Air Force Civil Engineering Center. That effort has been ongoing for 12 years.

"This technology that vacuums up the vapor is achieving the goal," she said.

Compared to historical data, recent measurements of the soil just above the groundwater show lower concentrations of volatile organic compounds, she said.
Dennis McQuillian, a New Mexico Environment Department geologist, added that benzene -- one of what the experts call "contaminants of concern"-- is being consumed by naturally occurring bacteria.

"Groundwater bacteria are eating benzene for breakfast, lunch and dinner," he said.

Col. Tony Haught, the commander for the 377th Air Base Wing Mission Support Group, reassured the audience that no drinking water wells have shown any evidence of contamination and that the Air Force was moving forward with its efforts to remediate the spill.

After a collaborative presentation, representatives from each partner organization took questions from community members concerned about the spill and cleanup efforts.