After resuming field work at American University’s former Public Safety Building in July, the team began digging test pits at the site in order to determine the final excavation boundaries, as well as to conduct confirmation soil sampling ... The team continues to encounter lab grade glassware debris and have followed it into the northern hillside edge of the former PSB footprint. Through further investigation the debris appears to extend outside of the northwestern footprint and near the existing sump. The team has prepared work plans and is evaluating the removal of the debris trail into the hillside. The uncovered material in the test pit sidewall was screened for munition debris and AU items. The batch glass and metal debris cleared headspace analysis and was shipped for confirmation analysis. The concrete sump structure was broken down into smaller pieces loaded into a roll-off container, and transported to the staging area at the federal compound pending off-site disposal.
Spring Valley RAB
Meeting Slides
September 15, 2020 (pgs. 15 - 16)
Conducted test pitting horizontally into the north sidewall of PSB excavation (grid D-3) to determine the extent of the dark soil layer with American University Experiment Station debris identified at approximately 2 to 3.5 feet below the slab. Advanced 8 feet north of former PSB slab – AUES debris was still evident, but Team had to stop due to slope stability concerns ... The bulk of the dark brown soil with abundant AUES glass debris and munition debris has been excavated and removed from below the slab, however, the AUES debris field encountered at 1 - 4 feet below the slab extends north beyond the slab into the soil slope – an as yet undetermined distance ... The AUES debris layer contained dark brown soil, abundant unsealed lab glassware bottles, pipettes & tubes, plus munitions debris from 75-mm projectiles and 4” Stokes mortar rounds.
Spring Valley FUDS
Partnering Meeting
August 2020 (pgs. 22 - 33)
