FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITE INSTALLATION ID: MA19799F176900
CHARLESTOWN NAVY YARD
boston, Massachusetts
Cost So Far
$13.7M
Money already spent on the evaluation and cleanup of hazardous sites.
Expected Additional Cost
$6.13M
The estimated amount of money needed for evaluation and cleanup of hazardous sites at this installation.
Completion Date
2025
The date the DOD says cleanup of all sites was completed. Long term monitoring may continue after this date.
The Charlestown Naval Shipyard opened in 1800. During its 174-year history, the shipyard built, repaired, refitted, and modernized warships of the Navy for every war and conflict in which this country has taken part, from the American Revolution... see more » The Charlestown Naval Shipyard opened in 1800. During its 174-year history, the shipyard built, repaired, refitted, and modernized warships of the Navy for every war and conflict in which this country has taken part, from the American Revolution to Vietnam. The entire area of the shipyard was developed over time by the Navy with buildings and manufacturing and construction facilities connected with shipbuilding; including personnel barracks, offices, workshops, and a ropewalk. In August 1964, an approximately 1.22-acre segment of land containing Buildings "I" and 136 were transferred to the Marine Corps. The site was under continuous DOD control during the period of DOD ownership and use. The Charlestown Navy Yard was closed in 1974. It consisted of approximately 130 acres, 30 acres was transferred to the Department of Interior as a historic park and the berth of the U.S.S. Constitution, the remainder was transferred to the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and was eventually developed into both a public park area and into housing. The National Park Service currently owns building 105. (Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) « see less
4 Hazardous Sites
Below are the locations of hazardous sites associated with this military installation, according to the DOD. A site’s contamination may affect a much larger area, including public and private lands and the water supplies beneath them.
High Risk
Medium Risk
Low Risk
Risk Not Evaluated or Not Required
Response Complete
We haven't independently confirmed the location of every site. If you notice a site placed at the incorrect location, please contact us.
Not all sites in the DOD data include location information, so there may be sites listed below that are missing from the map. The risk level of a site refers to a relative risk assessment made by the DOD to prioritize the cleanup of sites.
1 Active Site
Sites where military cleanup actions are still ongoing. The risk level of a site refers to a relative risk assessment made by the DOD, which prioritizes the cleanup of sites that pose greatest threat to safety, human health, and the environment.
Site ID: 04HTRW
BLDG 105
Contaminated Buildings
Cost
$6.13M
Cost in 2015 plus expected future cost of cleanup
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2025
Contaminated Areas
Groundwater: High Risk
Migration follows path of groundwater. Construction workers may be exposed to contaminants in vault and trench fluids.
Contaminants: Chloroform 5.0 ug/L 2,3,7,8-TCDD (dioxin) 8.59 ug/L Selenium 22.0 ug/L Acetone 25.0 ug/L 2,4-Dimethylphenol 26.0 ug/L Lead 52.3 ug/L Barium and compounds 129.0 ug/L Arsenic 279.0 ug/L Benzene 810.0 ug/L
Soil: High Risk
Migration into groundwater. Airborne as dust particles. Maintenance employees for historuc equipment. Inhalation of dust particles.
Contaminants: Selenium 0.0019 mg/kg Xylenes 0.003 mg/kg Trichloroethylene (TCE) 0.003 mg/kg Toluene 0.007 mg/kg Carbon disulfide 0.017 mg/kg Methyl ethyl ketone (2-Butanone) 0.023 mg/kg Cadmium and compounds 0.029 mg/kg 2,3,7,8-TCDD (dioxin) 0.0458 mg/kg Arsenic 0.047 mg/kg 2-Methylphenol 0.16 mg/kg Diethyl phthalate 0.23 mg/kg 1,4-Dichlorobenzene 0.48 mg/kg N-Nitrosodiphenylamine 0.63 mg/kg 2,4-Dimethylphenol 0.68 mg/kg Benzyl alcohol 0.89 mg/kg 4-Chloroaniline 0.89 mg/kg 3,3-Dichlorobenzidine 0.89 mg/kg 1,2-Dichlorobenzene 0.95 mg/kg Butyl benzyl phthalate 1.1 mg/kg Phenol 1.2 mg/kg Barium and compounds 1.2 mg/kg Dibenz[ah]anthracene 2.0 mg/kg 4-Nitrophenol 2.3 mg/kg 2,4-Dinitrophenol 2.3 mg/kg Aniline 2.3 mg/kg Pentachlorophenol 2.3 mg/kg 2-Nitroaniline 2.3 mg/kg Fluorene 3.1 mg/kg 4-Methylphenol 3.6 mg/kg Dibutyl phthalate 5.2 mg/kg Lead 7.1 mg/kg Naphthalene 7.5 mg/kg Acenaphthene 9.2 mg/kg Zinc 9.5 mg/kg Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 12.0 mg/kg Benzoic acid 12.0 mg/kg Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene 14.0 mg/kg Benzo[b]fluoranthene 14.0 mg/kg Benzo[k]fluoranthene 14.0 mg/kg Benzene 14.0 mg/kg Anthracene 16.0 mg/kg Benzo[a]pyrene 21.0 mg/kg Benz[a]anthracene 23.0 mg/kg Chrysene 26.0 mg/kg 2-Methylnaphthalene 35.0 mg/kg Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) 67.0 mg/kg Pyrene 68.0 mg/kg Fluoranthene 79.0 mg/kg Iron 180.0 mg/kg
Sediment (Human): Risk Not Evaluated
Surface Water (Human): Risk Not Evaluated
3 Inactive Sites
Sites where military cleanup actions are complete, according to the DOD. Note that this status does not necessarily mean the site is no longer hazardous, as many of these sites are put under long-term monitoring or other restrictions.
Site ID: 01CON/HTRW
D01MA000101 CONTAINERIZED HAZARDOUS, TOXIC AND RADIOACTIVE WASTE
Underground Storage Tanks
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2004
Site ID: 02BD/DR
BLDG 108 DEMOLITION
Building Demolition/Debris Removal
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Mar 2014
Site ID: 03HTRW
STORAGE BINS
Surface Disposal Area
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 1991
Contaminated Areas
Sediment (Fresh): Risk Not Evaluated
Update (Dec. 5, 2017): We have changed the source of the installation cost data after being notified by the Department of Defense that they erroneously reported their own cost figures on the DERP website. We are now displaying the costs the department says are the most accurate available, from the Pentagon’s DERP database that we received in a FOIA request.
Note: The risk level of a site refers to a relative risk assessment made by the DOD to prioritize the cleanup of sites.
Data: All data comes from the Defense Environmental Restoration Program and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and will be released soon at the ProPublica Data Store. Read our methodology »