November 8, 2001
 
 

Dear AU Park Citizens' Association members:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting an environmental
investigation within Spring Valley, a portion of AU Park, Fort Gaines
and American University, as a result of WWI-era military research at the
American University Experiment Station (AUES), formerly used defense
site.  This investigation involves a comprehensive soil sampling effort
to measure arsenic levels on every property within the project area,
including residences, businesses and public areas such as Friendship
(Turtle) Park.

Some local residents may have seen the recent articles in the Northwest
Current newspaper explaining specific areas within the AU Park
neighborhood where we have found elevated levels of arsenic in the soil.
These recent findings have caused some residents of the neighborhood to
express concerns about our outreach to residents living outside the
project area, particularly to those residents who might use
Friendship/Turtle Park.

The Corps is currently working to gain a right-of-entry permission from
the D.C. government to sample Friendship/Turtle Park and other
D.C.-owned or managed properties within the project area. The Corps is
also working with local community members in this process and plans to
conduct sampling of the park before the end of November.

The results of this and other ongoing efforts are available through the
community involvement mechanisms listed here.

Community Meetings -Held every four to eight weeks, the meetings serve
to inform local residents and other stakeholders about project
activities and progress, as well as provide individuals a forum to ask
questions and raise concerns.

Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) Meetings - This body consists of
community, local institutional, federal and Washington D.C. government
representatives. The board meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7
p.m., at St. David's Episcopal Church located at 5150 Macomb Street,
N.W.  Although these meetings are working sessions for RAB members to
discuss current challenges and concerns, the meetings are open to the
public and community members are invited to attend.

Spring Valley Web Site - http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/projects/
WashingtonDC/springvalley.htm - this website contains weekly project
updates, maps, reports, sampling information, RAB contacts and minutes
and a variety of other materials. Included at our website is a link to
our newest feature, an interactive mapping site where a property owner
can build informative maps regarding a specific neighborhood, street or
address of interest within the project area.

Corps'pondent - This is a monthly newsletter mailed to local residents
providing project updates and summaries of recent meetings. If you are
not currently receiving this newsletter and would like to, please call
the Spring Valley Project Toll-free Information Line at 1-800-434-0988.

Information Repository - Public documents related to the Corps'
involvement in the Spring Valley project are located in the Palisades
Library at 49th and V Streets, NW, Washington DC 20007. For information
on the library hours, please call 202-282-3139. Validated arsenic
sampling results from the area-wide sampling effort, referred to as
Operable Unit 5, is just one of the many documents in the repository.

Toll-free Project Information Line - 1-800-434-0988 - This toll-free
line provides residents an easy route to contact the Corps of Engineers.
You may call this line to inquire about the Spring Valley project. If
someone is unable to address your call immediately, please leave your
contact information and someone will return your call promptly.

Spring Valley Resident Office - Daily project activities within the
neighborhood, such as scheduling and conducting soil sampling, are
managed from the project's field office, which is located next to Sibley
Hospital on Dalecarlia Parkway. The phone number for this office is
202-686-3359.

Local Publications - Articles regarding the cleanup efforts are
periodically published in the Northwest Current. Additionally, we place
public notices and meeting announcements in this paper.

The community can support the Spring Valley project by participating in
public comment periods for upcoming work plans, attending community and
RAB meetings, calling the information line with questions or
suggestions, supporting upcoming health studies and reviewing the weekly
website updates. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not
hesitate to learn more by accessing these sources of information and
opportunities to participate.

Please visit the Corps' Spring Valley web site at:
http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/projects/WashingtonDC/springvalley.htm and
click on the Project Maps button to see if your property is located
within the project area. If your property or even a friend's property is
within the red line of the boundary, please do what you can to ensure
that a right-of-entry form is completed and returned to the Corps. While
85 percent to 90 percent of the sampled properties to date do not
require any additional investigation, it is important that the Corps is
allowed to sample every property to ensure a comprehensive investigation
and cleanup. Right-of-entry forms are available on the website or by
calling 1-800-434-0988.
 

                                                Sincerely,

                                                Michael D. Peloquin
                                                Major, U.S. Army
                                                Deputy District Engineer
                                                  for Spring Valley