Initial Arsenic Readings Called a "False Positive"

Officials reopened Fort Reno Park in Northwest Washington yesterday, saying recent extensive tests have found no unsafe levels of arsenic in the soil there. The 33-acre field, a popular site for sports and concerts in the Tenleytown neighborhood, was abruptly closed to the public May 14 after the U.S. Geological Survey said soil samples showed arsenic levels of as much as 1,100 parts per million -- about 25 times the limit of 43 parts per million set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But those test results turned out to be "a false positive," officials said yesterday.
Washington Post (May 29, 2000: pg. B-1)

Arsenic Levels Cause Indefinite Closure of Fort Reno Park

A 33-acre federal park in Northwest Washington was abruptly shut yesterday and will remain closed indefinitely after soil analysis found arsenic levels far above what the federal government considers safe ... Park Service spokesman Bill Line said in an interview that before agency officials were notified about the high arsenic levels, they "had no prior reason to suspect anything other than safe conditions existed in Fort Reno Park."
Washington Post
May 15, 2008: pg. B-1
 
The Partners discussed the Terry Slonecker/Rich Albright aerial photograph of high arsenic readings in the District of Columbia area and an article that recently appeared in the Examiner. The year 2000 photograph came from T. Slonecker's doctoral thesis and shows the northwest District of Columbia area and Spring Valley with some red spots indicating high arsenic readings. There are spots at Fort Reno and at Friendship Park. The statement by [Richard] Albright to the Examiner a couple of weeks ago said that toxic chemicals have spread.
Spring Valley FUDS
Partnering Meeting Minutes
November 27, 2007 (pg. 18)

How-To Manual Details Chemical Weapons Cleanup

 

Unexploded military ordnance and highly toxic chemical munitions, some dating back to World War I, are a worldwide concern — especially at closed military bases that are being redeveloped for housing or civilian use.  [Richard] Albright steers the reader away from many common misconceptions about weapons site remediation, and exposes the minefield of lies that are all too often used to placate the public.  Albright enjoys an international reputation as an expert in weapons of mass destruction.  He has testified before Congress and state governments on chemical weapons, and received the prestigious Cafritz Award in 2001 for his work in cleaning up the Spring Valley World War I military facility in Washington, DC.
Cleanup of Chemical and Explosive Munitions
by Richard Albright

More World War I Shells Recovered

Intrusive investigations in the East Extension began on April 28th. In the first week of operation the investigation team has recovered WW I-era munition items. These items have been safely handled like all previous items and removed from the property in accordance with work plan guidelines.
Spring Valley Project Update
April 2008

Military Never Accounted For Chemical Munitions "Mother Lode"

The greatest risk AU students currently face is the potential existence of a large burial site of unexploded World War I-era munitions in the area, Buzz Bailey, a local attorney, said during a panel discussion ... "We have found pure lewisite, pure mustard and pure arsine gas right next to AU on Glenbrook Road," said Ken Shuster of the Environmental Protection Agency. "We know that some [chemical munitions] were buried here — but the big mother load [sic] we still have not yet found" ... "Unfortunately, when the military turned these lands over, they did not clean them up," Shuster said. "They did not even investigate them to determine what contaminants may exist."

Christopher Cottrell

The Eagle

April 24, 2008

Global Green USA Hosts Spring Valley Forum

At a panel discussion sponsored by Friends of the Earth, community activist Kent Slowinski traces the recent history of attempts to locate and remove chemical weapons buried under Spring Valley ninety years ago. Legacy Project Director, Paul Walker of Global Green USA (far right), looks on as Slowinski shows where Civil War relic hunters recovered World War I munitions next to Dalecarlia Reservoir, the District's water supply.

 Partners before "Rick Woods Pit" site visit (2/26/05) ~ USACE

The tour group then walked to the area where Rick Woods entered the Dalecarlia Woods previously, near the intersection of Rockwood Parkway and Dalecarlia Parkway. Thomas Jacobus, Washington Aqueduct, met them at this location and let them on to the property. R. Woods showed the group the area that he had found Civil War memorabilia years ago and, after going up a steep incline, located the small gauge railroad bed. There was a row of rocks there for erosion control and the bed looks like a walking trail today. Major Verell stated that it is definitely there and it was R. Woods' landmark for locating the area where he found munitions previously. The group traveled up a hill, turned east and went down a hill. R. Woods said this was definitely the area where he had found munitions. He said he was walking through the woods with a metal detector, got beeps, brushed some leaves away and started moving the dirt with a knife to locate the rounds. R. Woods reported that he began stacking the rounds against a tree and made 6-7 trips to his car, carrying 6-7 rounds on each trip.

Restoration Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes

April 12, 2005 (pgs. 3 - 9)

Digging for Real Answers

"If there was ever a moment that we felt the university was hiding something, it's now. Whether administrators are filtering or burying information out of concern for bad press or heightened hysteria, the university's silence on the munitions dig is reprehensible at best. It seems that every new report about chemicals or components reveals a new weapons site that's geographically closer to the residence halls, the Child Development Center and other heavily populated campus areas."

Christopher Cottrell
The Eagle
April 9, 2008