Fort Sheridan Restoration Project

Fort Sheridan Restoration Project Overview

On May 28, 1993, Fort Sheridan was officially closed under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). Since then, the U.S. Army has made great strides in cleaning up environmental contamination. In 1997, 406 acres of Fort Sheridan was transferred to the surrounding communities for residential development. Efforts today are focused on about 100 acres of Fort Sheridan that was transferred to the U.S. Army Reserves and about 200 acres that was transferred to the U.S. Navy.

KEMRON Environmental Services, Inc. was awarded a guaranteed fixed-price remediation (GFPR) contract to complete the restoration work at Fort Sheridan. The GFPR contract approach is designed to expedite the cleanup process by reducing the closure timeframe and encouraging value engineering savings. KEMRON began work in October 2001. The construction work phase was completed as of spring 2005. Long-term operation and maintenance work including groundwater monitoring, leachate collection and landfill gas monitoring will continue through September of 2008.

KEMRON and the U.S. Army have successfully excavated and removed all contaminated soils from the Environmental Restoration Program at Fort Sheridan, as of March 2005. The rest of the sites have been capped.

Major Accomplishments To Date Include:

Capping of Landfills 5, 6 and 7.
Remediation of 5 action removal sites containing contaminated soils.
Installation of a leachate collection system and a gas collection system with flare at Landfills 6 and 7.
Restoration of Coal Storage Area 3.
Interim Remedial Repairs at Landfill 1.
Successful implementation of a leachate on land application pilot study.
A 5-year Review Inspection was conducted at Landfills 5-7, CSA 3 and Landfill 2.

Please read on to learn more.

Announcements

KEMRON and the U.S. Army have enacted the Decision Document No Action/No Further Action Study Areas for eleven sites at Fort Sheridan, IL. A copy of the Decision Document is available in the Administrative Record at Building 379 on the Fort as well as at the Highwood Public Library.

KEMRON and the U.S. Army are cooperating with the U.S. Navy in their efforts to privatize/transfer additional properties. We are also working with the Openlands Group to assist them in locating a bike trail over Landfill 7.

The next Restoration Advisory Board Meeting (RAB) will be announced soon. Look for an update in the near future. The last RAB meeting was held on December 3, 2007, at which time, the Army and KEMRON presented two Proposed Plans to the public.

KEMRON and the Army are preparing a 5-year Review at Landfills 5-7, CSA 3 and Landfill 2 in accordance with CERCLA requirements.