Fuel plume milestone achieved

  • Published
  • By Carl Grusnick
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  A significant milestone in remediating the bulk fuel plume occurred Oct. 30 with the completion of a groundwater aquifer test. As part of the characterization phase of the fuel plume cleanup effort, more than 70,000 gallons of groundwater from the contamination zone was pulled to the surface from a well just off Kirtland Air Force Base, near Bullhead Park.

The significance of this test was marked with a news conference by officials of the New Mexico Environment Department, with officials from the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, and Kirtland AFB in attendance.

NMED Secretary Ryan Flynn said, "We are pleased Kirtland Air Force Base has completed another step in the overall cleanup process."

The test marks the first of many steps in a more aggressive fuel cleanup process, Flynn said.

This assessment is the first of two key tests designed to measure the effect of groundwater pumping on the character of the aquifer.

Data from the tests will provide information vital to determining interim measures for contamination cleanup and a final remedy. This event marked the first time groundwater contaminated by leaked fuel was pumped to the surface, in quantity, and treated to drinking-water standards, before being returned to beneficial use.

The Oct. 30 test was part of the rigorous process dictated by federal environmental law to remediate the fuel plume, conducted under the supervision of NMED.

"Kirtland takes ownership of this issue and is committed to cleaning it up," said Col. Tom Miller, Kirtland installation commander.

Kirtland has assembled a dedicated team of scientists, engineers, environmental specialists, working closely with NMED and other regulators, with urgency to attack the problem in force, Miller said.

"Collectively, under Secretary Flynn's leadership, we have begun a new era of accelerated progress," he said.

A second aquifer test in November will pull approximately one million gallons of groundwater to the surface.

Once the aquifer testing is complete, cleaned water will be applied to land on the base.

The fuel leak was discovered in 1999 at the site of the base bulk fuel delivery area. This facility has since been replaced by a $12 million state-of-the-art facility, with fully observable infrastructure to prevent future spills. The Air Force has budgeted $50 million for the remediation.

"Kirtland, NMED, ABCWUA, and Albuquerque city authorities remain committed to the continued supply of clean drinking water to our neighbors in the Albuquerque community and our base populace," Miller said.