Site history: Keesler AFB was activated in June 1941 as a
training center for aircraft mechanics. After World War II, Keesler was
designated as a permanent military base. Today Keesler AFB is a large base
(1,500 acres) operated under the Air, Education, Training Command (AETC). Its
mission focuses on four main areas: technical training, medical care, flying
operations, and support. From its early years, Keesler operated two unlined
landfills on the shores of the Back Bay estuary. These landfills received a
variety of wastes from Keesler including paint products, solvents, oils and
grease and general debris. Burning was conducted periodically to reduce volume
of refuse. These landfills (now known as Landfills 2 & 3) released
hazardous substances to the Back Bay estuary via leachate discharge, landfill
sloughing/runoff and active bulldozing of wastes into the estuary.
Location: Keesler AFB is located within the city limits of
Biloxi, Mississippi, approximately 80 miles east of New Orleans, Louisiana, and
60 miles west of Mobile, Alabama. It is bordered on the north by the Back Bay
of Biloxi and on the west, south, and east by residential and commercial areas
of the city. The Mississippi Sound is located approximately 0.5 miles south of
the Base.
Trustees:
Case status: Keesler is now conducting Long Term Sediment
monitoring at Landfills 2 & 3. Major elements of the Long Term Monitoring
program consist of measuring sediment accumulation rates adjacent to Landfills
2 & 3 and sediment chemistry. The 5-year review, to evaluate the implementation
and performance of site remedies to determine if they remain protective of
human health and the environment will occur in 2009. Investigations during the
5-year review will include sediment toxicity tests, comparing sediment
contaminant levels to Corrective Action Objectives and sediment chemistry trend
analysis.
Overview: Working in a high-performing partnering team
environment with natural resource trustees, local public, state and federal
regulators, Keesler AFB has successfully conducted remedial investigations to
determine the nature and extent of contamination and the human and ecological
risks present at the site. Site cleanup, including the dredging and containment
of contaminated sediments was completed in 2002. The natural resource trustees,
working with Keesler AFB, contributed to the successful remediation and
restoration of Landfills 2 & 3 located along the Back Bay estuary, Biloxi,
Mississippi.
On May 4, 2005, in ceremonies at the Pentagon, Keesler Air Force Base was
awarded the Secretary of Defense Environmental Award as DoD's top installation
for Environmental Restoration. As a member of this partnering team for over a
decade, NOAA has brought critical knowledge and experience to the table in the
fields of ecological risk assessment and contaminated sediment assessment and
management. The EPA regulator for Keesler has observed, “Keesler AFB addressed
ecological risk assessment issues that have stumped other DoD facilities and
teams throughout the country”. In winning this award, Keesler acknowledged some
important “lessons learned”: 1) partnering with stakeholders early in the
process is critical, 2) conducting site-specific ecological risk assessments
are imperative, and 3) working closely with Natural Resource Trustees expedites
remediation.
