FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITE INSTALLATION ID: VA39799F167300
PLUM TREE ISLAND RANGE
poquoson, Virginia
Cost So Far
$4.45M
Money already spent on the evaluation and cleanup of hazardous sites.
Expected Additional Cost
$41.9M
The estimated amount of money needed for evaluation and cleanup of hazardous sites at this installation.
Expected Completion Date
2033
The date by which the DOD estimates cleanup of all sites will be complete. Long term monitoring may continue after this date.
Plum Tree Island covers more than 3,000 acres and is located near Poquoson, Virginia, in the Chesapeake Bay. This property is known or suspected to contain military munitions and explosives of concern (e.g., unexploded ordnance) and therefore may... see more » Plum Tree Island covers more than 3,000 acres and is located near Poquoson, Virginia, in the Chesapeake Bay. This property is known or suspected to contain military munitions and explosives of concern (e.g., unexploded ordnance) and therefore may present an explosive hazard. The island is covered with marsh grass and intermittent small circular ponds created by bomb impacts. Observation bunkers, one large concrete observation bunker, and three metal observatories remain on the island. The island is a wildlife refuge, owned by the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and remains undeveloped with no public access permitted. The Department of Defense reserves the right to jettison fuel and or fuel pods over the island in emergency situations. The range was used for experimentation in bombing, photography, radio and telegraph, and testing of foreign aircraft. A tower was left in place which creates a hazard and some bunkers have been left in place. Also, some ordnance has surfaced. (Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) « see less
2 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: 01OEW
RANGE COMPLEX NO. 1
Air to Land
Cost
$42M
Cost in 2015 plus expected future cost of cleanup
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2033
This site is under ongoing monitoring until Sep 2063
Contaminated Areas
Sediment (Ecological): High Risk
Contaminants: Mercury 0.2 mg/kg Cadmium 0.4 mg/kg Arsenic 10.3 mg/kg Nickel 18.4 mg/kg Total Chromium (1:6 ratio Cr VI:Cr III) 38.4 mg/kg Copper 52.2 mg/kg Zinc 84.7 mg/kg Manganese 98.4 mg/kg Lead 752.0 mg/kg
Surface Water (Ecological): High Risk
Contaminants: Mercury 0.085 ug/L Silver 0.19 ug/L Beryllium 0.78 ug/L Thallium 0.88 ug/L Cadmium 1.1 ug/L Antimony 1.3 ug/L Copper 6.9 ug/L Arsenic 13.1 ug/L Lead 13.5 ug/L Zinc 16.0 ug/L Selenium 36.5 ug/L
Sediment (Human): Low Risk
Contaminants: Mercury and compounds 0.2 mg/kg Cadmium 0.4 mg/kg Beryllium 0.8 mg/kg Arsenic 10.3 mg/kg Antimony 12.3 mg/kg Molybdenum 14.8 mg/kg Nickel 18.4 mg/kg Chromium VI 38.4 mg/kg Copper 52.2 mg/kg Vanadium 53.8 mg/kg Lead 752.0 mg/kg
Soil: Low Risk
Contaminants: Mercury and compounds 0.2 mg/kg Cadmium 0.71 mg/kg Selenium 3.1 mg/kg Arsenic 8.5 mg/kg Molybdenum 11.8 mg/kg Nickel 16.3 mg/kg Chromium III 35.0 mg/kg Vanadium 47.2 mg/kg Barium 48.2 mg/kg Lead 56.4 mg/kg Manganese 175.0 mg/kg Copper 281.0 mg/kg Aluminum 26800.0 mg/kg
Surface Water (Human): Low Risk
Contaminants: Beryllium 0.78 ug/L Mercury and compounds 0.85 ug/L Thallium acetate 0.88 ug/L Cadmium 1.1 ug/L Antimony 1.3 ug/L Molybdenum 12.0 ug/L Arsenic 13.1 ug/L Lead 13.5 ug/L Selenium 36.5 ug/L Strontium 7420.0 ug/L
1 Inactive Site
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: 02BD/DR
BD/DR
Building Demolition/Debris Removal
Cost
Unknown
Final Cleanup Action
Sep 2006
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 »