West Virginia Ordnance (USARMY)

Overview

The West Virginia Ordnance site covers 8,320 acres near Point Pleasant, West Virginia. It was a munitions facility that produced TNT from 1942 to 1945. It was added to the EPA's Superfund National Priorities List in 1983 and has been under active cleanup ever since.

Soils and groundwater across the site are contaminated with explosive nitroaromatic compounds, including TNT, trinitrobenzene, dinitrotoluene, and related by-products. Metals such as arsenic, lead, and beryllium are also present from former operations. Asbestos has been found in soil, solid waste, and debris in the TNT Sewer Flaming area. Visitors to the wildlife management area could be exposed through direct contact with contaminated surface water or soils. Sewer lines, pits, and open manholes may still hold reactive wastes that pose safety and chemical hazards.

The U.S. Army leads cleanup under a 1989 Interagency Agreement with the EPA and West Virginia environmental authorities. The Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District now manages day-to-day work. The site is divided into 13 operable units targeting different contamination problems. Cleanup methods have included soil capping with liners, excavation, offsite disposal, and groundwater pump-and-treat systems operating at three locations. Pilot studies are testing in-situ groundwater treatment for areas with high explosives concentrations. Two operable units were removed from the Superfund list in 2002 and 2004 after cleanup was completed. Ten operable units have signed Records of Decision selecting specific remedies.

EPA has determined that human exposure is under control and that groundwater migration is under control. No nitroaromatics have been detected in any of the 13 local water supply wells. Residential land use and private groundwater wells are prohibited on site. Construction is not yet complete across the entire site, and the site has not been deleted from the National Priorities List. Long-term operation and maintenance for several operable units is estimated to run through late 2026 and into 2027. The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2021, with the next scheduled between September and November 2026.

About 2,785 acres were transferred to West Virginia and now operate as the McClintic State Wildlife Management Area, open to the public for recreational hunting. Deed restrictions prohibit residential use, day care facilities, playgrounds, and surface-disturbing activities. Community members can get involved through the Community Involvement Program by contacting the Army Corps of Engineers at lrl-pagemaster-pa@usace.army.mil. Current site information is also available at https://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/Media/. The administrative record is available for public review at the Mason County Public Library at 508 Viand Street in Point Pleasant.