The Problem
Historic releases of heating oil used to fire the boilers and, more recently, gasoline from underground storage tanks at a former U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) garage have resulted in two areas of petroleum soil contamination. Spills and leaks of chlorinated solvents from historic dry-cleaning operations resulted in significant soil contamination on-site, and shallow and deep groundwater contamination both on and off-site.
Contaminants of Concern
The main contaminants of concern at the site are petroleum and chlorinated solvents, resulting from releases from underground storage tanks and former dry-cleaning operations. The primary contaminants of concern both on-site and off-site are tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE) and their breakdown products.
What’s Been Done
- Vapor mitigation system installed in one home
- Soil removal from an area contaminated with petroleum
- Investigated the nature and extent of the contaminant releases
- Developing remedial alternatives to clean up soil and groundwater
What’s Left
- Evaluate cleanup options
- Select a final remedy
- Implement cleanup action
Looking to the Future
The remedial investigation process is currently underway and will be followed by the proposed plan/ feasibility study in 2025.
Site Description
In 1940, at the start of World War II, the U.S. Army established the former Kansas City Quartermaster Depot at 607 Hardesty Ave., east of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The Army used the depot to receive and store protective and impermeable clothing, laundry and dry-cleaning supplies, inks, lithographic chemicals, petroleum products and petroleum handling equipment. The Army also used the depot to reclaim petroleum containers and treat clothing to make them resistant to chemicals, such as mustard gas.
The depot remained in operation until 1953. On Oct. 1, 1960, the 22-acre site was transferred from the U.S. Army to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). During GSA’s ownership, numerous federal government entities used the building space at the former depot, also known as the Kansas City Record Center and Hardesty Federal Complex. In 1980, GSA sold a three-acre parcel, which included buildings 1 and 2, to Megaspace Ltd., a California limited partnership.
In 1990, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) determined the site was eligible for the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program. However, after further evaluation, the USACE assigned a property status of No Department of Defense Action Indicated. The status of the property will be reevaluated in the future; a final determination will be submitted to the department for concurrence.
In September 2011, GSA sold the remaining approximate 18 acres to the Hardesty Renaissance Economic Development Corp. through a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Section 120(h) early transfer process. GSA retained responsibility for addressing environmental-related issues resulting from past operations.
The Problem
Spills and leaks of chlorinated solvents from historic dry-cleaning operations resulted in significant soil contamination on-site, and shallow and deep groundwater contamination both on and off-site. Volatile organic compounds, specifically tetrachloroethylene, commonly known as PCE, and trichloroethene, commonly known as TCE, were released in an area of soil from 5 feet to 60 feet deep. As a result, the shallow groundwater (15-60 feet) is significantly contaminated. Contaminates also leached into the deep aquifer (60-120 feet) and migrated up to one-half mile off-site.
Environmental Restoration
The GSA completed a cleanup investigation to define the area and media contaminated by the VOC release. The GSA is now developing a feasibility study and proposed plan that evaluates various technologies to clean up the contamination.
What’s Left
- Evaluate cleanup options
- Select a final remedy
- Begin cleanup action
Looking to the Future
- The remedial investigation process is currently underway and will be followed by the proposed plan/ feasibility study in 2025.
Community Involvement
Additional Information:
