The Army Corps of Engineers expects to complete soil sampling at the former Brush Beryllium site near the Village of Luckey in December.

The sampling and topographic surveying are part of an on-going remedial program for the 40-acre parcel at 21200 Luckey Road,

Results from the work will provide the Corps with the necessary data for the next phase of the clean-up of the site, said Duane Lenhardt, project manager.

“This data is required to complete our remedial design, update the estimated cost associated with the clean-up, and proceed to environmental remediation,” he said.

Under rules set by the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, the Corps in October began the testing to determine the extent of soil contamination.

The work includes:
• Clearing the planned study areas
• Performing a topographic survey using a 3-D laser scanning method to map out site features such as buildings, roads, and other surface objects.
• Conducting geophysical surveys over select areas of the site using electromagnetic methods.
• Conducting about 100 soil borings using a sonic drilling method.

In July, the Corps announced it would use $1 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds at the Luckey site to conduct sampling and data collection. A contract was awarded to TPMC-Energy Solutions Environmental Services, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Last year, the Corps approved a groundwater monitoring plan for the Luckey site, which became contaminated during the federal government’s venture into atomic energy and weaponry.

Sampling of groundwater wells for beryllium, lead, and uranium was implemented to determine when test results would show a trend that indicates safe drinking water standards have been met.

The Corps has contended the site poses no immediate risk to human health.

In July 2006, the Corps approved a plan for the site to remove soil contaminated with beryllium, lead, Radium-226, Thorium-230, Uranium-234, and Uranium-238.

Clean-up is scheduled to begin next year, depending on the availability of funds.

The Luckey site is one of 21 throughout the country to be placed in the remedial program.

According to a history of the site compiled by the Corps, a magnesium processing facility was built at the site in 1942 on what was then federal land.

National Lead operated the facility for the government during World War II.

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