ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Through the careful analysis and innovative thinking of one man, a puzzling mystery was solved and one of the most challenging cleanup projects in the Oregon Army National Guard was put on the fast track.
James Arnold, the environmental restoration manager for the Oregon Army National Guard, is known for his analytical expertise when it comes to challenging cleanup projects. At the Oregon Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility #1 he was called in to solve an underground storage tank mystery. Environmental staff found a legacy World War II Navy UST system was leaking fuel into the ground even though the system's components had been removed decades ago.
To solve this mystery, Mr. Arnold put together a phase two environmental baseline study, in combination with historical data research and analysis. Based on the data results, he then used hydraulic push probe equipment to rapidly assess and delineate contamination levels in soil and groundwater around the UST system's tanks and fuel dispensing hydrants. To implement the sampling program, Mr. Arnold conducted historical research to determine the location of the sample points and obtain Oregon Department of Environmental Quality concurrence. The historical research revealed that the former components of the storage tank were located in the path of current active flight lines, requiring Mr. Arnold to coordinate with the state aviation office. He improved the site characterization technique by cooperating with local small business utility companies to avoid high profile fiber optic lines, and in the course of investigation, Mr. Arnold used an air knife system to create drill holes that would not cut utility lines. Once the borehole was clear, the hydraulic probe finished the drilling to complete the soil and groundwater sampling. Overall, this process allowed optimal borehole placement and demonstrated that contamination levels were well below risk-based concentrations, allowing Mr. Arnold to institute No Further Action.
When he's not solving pollution mysteries, Arnold helps other Oregon Army National Guard camps exemplify environmental stewardship. At Camp Withycombe, Arnold sped up the largest cleanup project in the Oregon Army National Guard by implementing a soil cleaning procedure that processed and cleaned more than 75 percent of the range's soil. Cleaning the majority of the soil reduced the need for soil removal, which usually takes longer because multiple trips need to be made between the range and the disposal site. In addition to speeding up the restoration process, the soil cleaning process clarified and recirculated the water within the treatment system, which reduced the camp's wastewater.
Further demonstrating his commitment to the environment and his flexibility to work on different projects throughout the Oregon Army National Guard, Arnold established an asphalt landfill capping initiative at Camp Rilea. Arnold's reason to cap a landfill at the camp was to avoid complete removal of the landfill, which would have meant demolishing the maintenance facility and disrupting weapons training and qualification on the adjacent Modified Automated Record Fire (MARF) Range. Because Arnold developed studies that identified only a low level of residual contaminates that posed no adverse risks to human health or the environment, asphalt capping was a viable alternative. Capping the landfill with asphalt prevented possible rainwater infiltration and leachate generation, which could cause environmental concerns in the future. Arnold's landfill asphalt capping initiative not only prevented potential risks to the environment, it provided a new parking lot to the maintenance facility.
Mr. Arnold coordinates Oregon Army National Guard environmental restoration efforts closely with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Mr. Bob Williams, DEQ Project Manager, stated "Jim is a very good technical manager, he knows a lot about the clean-up process and how we do things at DEQ, so it's been very helpful for me to work with him."
For his efforts to reduce risks to the environment and human health at the three military installations, James Arnold will receive the Army's highest honor in environmental stewardship -- the Secretary of the Army Environmental Award.
This information is provided by USAEC. USAEC is the Army's point organization for supporting the implementation of environmental programs that facilitate sustainable Army training and operations while protecting the environment. We provide environmental program management and technical support products and services in support of Army training operations, acquisition and sound stewardship.
"Sustaining the Environment for a Secure Future"
U.S. Army Environmental Command
