Titan 1-A Missile Site

/ / / /

Former Beale AFB Titan 1-A Missile Complex

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District is investigating potential environmental restoration activities at the Former Beale AFB Titan 1-A Missile Facility as part of the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program.

CURRENT STATUS
First and foremost, data collected from our groundwater monitoring wells and soil vapor probes indicate that there is no imminent risk to residents in nearby communities. Groundwater at project location is not used as a water source.

USACE is following the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to conduct its remedial investigation process. In 2018, USACE Sacramento District resumed working through the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) phase, which is where we collect scientifically defensible site information to support the development of a risk assessment and determine the need for remedial actions to protect human health, safety, and the environment. The Final RI/FS reports are expected to be complete in 2024.

In February 2023, USACE sent letters to property owners within approximately one-third of a mile of the investigation site inquiring about community interest in forming a Restoration Advisory Board (RAB), and again asked for RAB input during the May 31 public meeting. A RAB is one method for community engagement, in which a dedicated volunteer committee meets regularly with USACE about the investigative process. On July 26, USACE announced approval to establish a Restoration Advisory Board for the Titan 1-A project.

NEXT STEPS
After the completion of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, USACE will work through the following phases:

Proposed Plan: USACE presents its plans to mitigate the risks to public health and the environment. There is a public comment period associated with this phase. Currently scheduled to occur in 2025.
Approved Record of Decision: USACE prepares a Record of Decision, incorporating public comments from the proposed plan, to finalize any potential remediation plans. Currently scheduled to be complete in 2026.
Remedial Design/Remedial Action: Once the Record of Decision is approved, the project will enter the design and implementation phases of any potential remedial action.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click on question to reveal response)

I live in Sun City Lincoln Hills, should I be concerned for my health?
Data from quarterly samplings show that the TCE contamination on the Former Beale AFB Titan 1-A facility do not pose imminent danger to the health of nearby residents. If you review the most recent Soil Vapor Probe sample data, the samples collected closest to Sun City Lincoln Hills are all returning “Non-Detect” results. We will continue to monitor our sampling data and will communicate any new findings as a result of these samples.
How soon could the TCE contamination be remediated?
We are currently adhering to the processes set forth by the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Based on this process and our progress, our schedule anticipates remediation actions to begin as soon as 2026. We may have more information about how long the remediation may take when we release our proposed plan, scheduled to occur next year.
USACE has known about the contamination for 32 years. Why is it taking so long?
Yes, groundwater contamination at the Former Beale AFB Titan 1-A site was identified in 1991; however, USACE has not been actively working on the project for 32 years. USACE Sacramento District was authorized to begin our remedial investigation in 1994. In the early 2000’s we conducted multiple pilot projects, including one that removed approximately 10 pounds of TCE from groundwater at the site. Fieldwork stopped in 2009 to investigate other potential sources of the TCE contamination. A project is not eligible for the FUDS program if contamination is caused by other parties. We re-initiated our remedial investigation activities in 2018 and are now working through the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study phase, which is scheduled to be complete in 2024. It’s important to sufficiently understand behavior of groundwater and contamination to be able to develop an effective remediation plan, and we’re working through that process now.
Does USACE plan to add groundwater monitoring wells or soil gas probes to better understand the full extent of TCE plume?
Since 2019, USACE installed 19 new groundwater monitoring wells and 24 soil gas probes to supplement the pre-existing 14 groundwater monitoring wells at the site. This allowed us to collect enough data for the Remedial Investigation phase. We will continue to monitor the data and install additional wells as needed.
Does USACE plan to add groundwater monitoring wells to make sure TCE is not progressing into Auburn Ravine?
No. We have collected numerous subsurface samples since beginning work in 1994 and that has led us to our current understanding of the extent of TCE, which is limited to the southern side of the site. Auburn Ravine is a few thousand feet to the north and we have not found any data to suggest we need to investigate that ravine.
USACE says the plume is stable, but I hear it's moving toward Sun City Lincoln Hills community. How is that stable?
Our data, which includes sampling from earlier investigation actions in addition to our current remedial investigation efforts, shows that the center of the plume remains in approximately the same location as it was in the early 2000’s. The contour lines showing concentration levels of TCE have experienced some movement over time, and we expect those contour lines to ebb and flow, but overall our data indicates this is a stable plume.
How do we know the TCE plume is not migrating toward neighborhoods north of the site?
Our project has conducted significant investigation of the site beyond what is shown in the current soil vapor probe and groundwater monitoring wells data maps, and we have not found any evidence of TCE in the areas of the silos nor to the north or east of the site. We do still have monitoring wells in those areas but the TCE contamination we have found has been limited to the areas south of the site.
What is USACE doing about other contaminants at the site, such as lead?
The Department of Defense is responsible for the environmental restoration of properties that were formerly owned by, leased to, or otherwise possessed by the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense, and transferred from DoD control prior to October 1986. Such properties are known as Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS), and USACE executes the FUDS Program on behalf of DoD. The FUDS Program only authorizes us to clean up known or potential contamination attributable to DoD activities prior to 1986. Cleanup of lead contamination from the shooting ranges, which were in operation after the dismantling of the Titan 1-A facility, are the responsibility of Placer County.
How is USACE going to address decline in property values? What information regarding the FUDS site needs to be disclosed for real estate transactions?
USACE is not authorized to take action related to area property values and/or transactions. Property owners with questions related to the value of their property or the requirements for buying/selling property should consult with a real estate professional.
What is TCE?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information and resources to learn about trichloroethene aka trichloroethylene: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/trichloroethylene/
How can I learn more about the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) Program?
More than 10,000 properties nationwide have been evaluated to be included in the FUDS Program, and approximately 5,400 sites nationwide have been identified for investigation and cleanup as of the end of Fiscal Year 2021. As a result, USACE has a web page dedicated to discussing its Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) Program and includes additional frequently asked questions that discuss how the program works. You can access it by going to www.fuds.mil.

Project Background

The Titan 1-A Missile Facility was completed in 1962 and consisted of three 160-foot-deep missile silos, with adjacent underground and above-ground features including storage tanks, distribution lines, electrical wiring, water supply, communication lines, and wastewater collection facilities. The Titan 1 rocket engines were powered by a liquid oxygen/Refined Petroleum-1 liquid fuel mixture.

In 1968, the facility was declared excess and dismantled. Placer County acquired a parcel of the former missile complex that same year. Adjacent parcels of the former facility have since been acquired by private owners.

A private, subsurface investigation in 1991 identified trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater samples collected from along the drainage swale that passes through the Crocker Knoll property.

In 1994, USACE Sacramento District began a series of remedial investigations of the soil, soil vapor, and groundwater (including monitoring well installations) as part of the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program.

In 2001, USACE began operation of a small-scale pilot groundwater extraction and treatment system. The extraction system was composed of four extraction wells, two 50-foot-long extraction trenches, and one 200-foot-long extraction trench. The groundwater extraction pilot test operated for approximately three years, over which time approximately 10 pounds of TCE were removed by extracting impacted groundwater.

In 2002, a Soil Vapor Extraction test was performed at four wells to test soil permeability/vacuum radius of influence.

USACE performed two bench-scale studies in 2005 testing chemical oxidation and enhanced bioremediation effectiveness on site contamination.

Fieldwork stopped in 2009 to investigate other potential sources of the TCE contamination. A project is not eligible for the FUDS program if contamination is caused by other parties.

USACE re-initiated its Titan 1-A FUDS project and associated remedial investigation activities in 2018. 19 new groundwater monitoring wells were added to the 14 pre-existing monitoring wells and 24 new soil vapor probes were installed to begin collecting new data to regularly assess contamination status across varying conditions.