The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is conducting its First Five-Year Review for the former Waldorf Nike (W-44) Site, Launch Area in Waldorf, Maryland. The purpose of a Five-Year Review is to evaluate whether the remedial actions initiated in June 2021 remain protective of human health and the environment at sites where hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants remain. Currently, USACE performs quarterly groundwater monitoring as part of ongoing performance monitoring activities. In addition, the Five-Year Review will make recommendations to address any issues if they are identified during the review.
The former Waldorf Nike (W-44) Site, Launch Area was part of the Washington D.C Defense Area Network that was established in 1955 and remained operational until 1971. The following facilities were present at the site: a former acid fueling building, personnel barracks, gate house, generator building, kennel, missile assembly and test building, oil shed, sand filter building, three underground storage tanks (one nearby the barracks and two in the vicinity of the vehicle maintenance building and missile assembly building), two underground missile silos (A and B), and an electrical utility system. The site is currently owned by Charles County and is leased to the Maryland Indian Heritage Society for use as a cultural center.
This Five-Year Review focuses on the groundwater plume where previous environmental investigations identified carbon tetrachloride (CT) and trichloroethylene (TCE) in groundwater at concentrations above the US Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 5 micrograms per liter. In its 2015 Decision Document, USACE determined that the selected remedy for the Site is to treat groundwater with in-situ chemical reduction, perform long-term monitoring of the plume, and implement land use controls. This Five-Year Review is being conducted to ensure the remedy remains protective.
After completion, estimated for June 2026, the Five-Year Review report will be available to the public online, along with other project documents and reports, at
https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/Formerly-Used-Defense-Sites/Waldorf-Nike-Missile-Site/
For more information about the project or to provide feedback regarding the remedial actions that have been implemented for consideration as part of the Five-Year Review, please contact Hamid Rafiee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager, at (410) 320-8790 or Hamid.Rafiee@usace.army.mil.