JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – Air Force Civil Engineer Center environmental remediation efforts at the former McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California, entered a new phase of operations July 10 as officials unveiled a modernized multi-million-dollar groundwater treatment plant.
Members of AFCEC’s Base Realignment and Closure team joined regulatory partners, community members and other stakeholders for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the recently completed facility.
“Today’s dedication and ribbon cutting event at the new groundwater treatment plant marks another milestone achieved in our cleanup program at McClellan,” said Steve Mayer, AFCEC McClellan BRAC environmental coordinator. “It truly takes a team effort to help push projects like this forward in our environmental cleanup mission.”
The treatment facility replaces an existing system built in 1987. During its 30-plus years in operation, the previous plant removed some 62,000 pounds of volatile organic compounds from the McClellan groundwater. The updated facility is designed to optimize fresh treatment technologies and provide operators with better management software and features the flexibility to tie into eight granular activated carbon treatment vessels for more treatment if needed.
Local officials and redevelopment partners attending the event said the new facility is an important milestone in the ongoing redevelopment of the former installation.
“Remediating the groundwater is such an important step in the adaptive reuse of McClellan," said Tina Suarez-Murias, McClellan Restoration Advisory Board community member. "So many people have worked diligently to bring the land, water, and structures of the former base into good condition where people can live and work as part of the community. Getting this new groundwater treatment plant up and operational is a benchmark worth celebrating in the steady march to completing the cleanup.”
Trey Gundlach, McClellan Park senior vice president of development and construction, said the partnership between the Air Force and the community is producing positive results.
“We’re proud of the many years of partnership with the Air Force and seeing this latest achievement in the environmental program is another win toward completion,” he said. “McClellan Park is a vibrant and growing hub for business opportunities and jobs because of the steadfast efforts to remediate sites and transfer property back to the community.”
The old plant will be demolished, allowing remediation teams to address contaminated soils beneath the site.