Sacramento Army Depot

Overview

Sacramento Army Depot is a 485-acre former electronics supply depot in Sacramento, California. It has been on the National Priorities List (NPL) since July 22, 1987. The Army has since closed the depot and transferred the property to the City of Sacramento for commercial, state, and federal reuse. Cleanup work is still ongoing, and the site has not been deleted from the NPL.

Improper waste disposal at the depot contaminated soil and groundwater across several areas, including burn pits, oxidation lagoons, and a leaking tank. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found at the site include trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and 1,2-dichloroethene. Metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc were found in soil. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), specifically Aroclor 1254 and 1260, were also detected in soil. People could be exposed to these contaminants by ingesting, inhaling, or touching contaminated soil, groundwater, or groundwater vapors.

The Department of Defense is leading the cleanup through the Installation Restoration Program, a federally funded effort started in 1978 to handle hazardous contamination at military sites. The EPA serves as the lead regulatory agency under CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act). The site is divided into five operable units (OUs), each targeting a different area. Cleanup methods include soil vapor extraction, excavation, solidification and stabilization, groundwater extraction and treatment, and containment. Main site construction was completed by August 2002. In May 2017, active groundwater extraction for the South Post Plume and Parking Lot 3 area was discontinued in favor of natural processes, with contingency actions available if conditions worsen. Groundwater monitoring continues across the site.

As of now, human exposure is under control, meaning assessments show no unacceptable exposure pathways. Groundwater migration is also under control, with contaminated groundwater stabilized in its original area and no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated use status on June 21, 2006, meaning all cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met and required land-use restrictions are in place. The EPA's most recent five-year review, completed September 26, 2022, confirmed the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment in the short term. That protection depends on enforcing institutional controls and maintaining soil cover. The next five-year review is estimated to occur between September and November 2027.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. Two Five-Year Review Reports are available for the site, and the Administrative Record can be obtained by contacting the lead agency or the site's Public Information Repository.