U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Begins Transport of Materials from Shallow Land Disposal Area
VANDERGRIFT, Pa. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has begun shipping contaminated soil from the Shallow Land Disposal Area (SLDA) site in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, to an out-of-state licensed disposal facility.
The first truck left the site on Oct. 27. Since excavation began on April 7 with Trench 8, the contractor has removed nearly 1,560 cubic yards of material and 115 55-gallon drums.
The excavated material, or waste, is placed in soil bags and then scanned through an X-ray machine. Based on the X-ray results, waste and objects may undergo additional scans, sampling, and testing needed to characterize the material. This process will be repeated as many times as needed to characterize the material fully.
Once fully identified, workers load the sealed bags into intermodal shipping containers (IMCs). Workers lock and load these heavy-duty steel containers onto trucks, then take them to Wampum, Pennsylvania, and place them on rail cars for the trip to Utah.
“The waste is transported in accordance with the Department of Transportation regulations,” said Steve Vriesen, the USACE Buffalo District project manager for SLDA. “But before it leaves the site, there are safety checkpoints at every step of the process, because safety is always our top priority.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Radioactive waste disposal operations took place at the site between 1960 and 1970. During that time, the facility disposed of low-level radioactive materials associated with nuclear-powered submarine and commercial power-plant fuel production.
The Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation (NUMEC) conducted the disposal activities and operated the site in the early 1960s. The Atlantic Richfield Company later purchased NUMEC stock in 1967 and sold it to BWX Technologies in 1971. BWX Technologies currently owns the property. In 2002, federal legislation directed the site to be added to the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). Under FUSRAP, USACE is responsible for identifying, investigating, and cleaning up sites across the United States contaminated because of the nation’s early atomic weapons and energy programs.
FOR THE PUBLIC: The districts will be available to answer questions and concerns at their upcoming public information session scheduled for Dec. 2, 2026; more details to follow.
For more information about the SLDA cleanup and the FUSRAP program, visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website: https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/SLDA/.
Copies of the Remedial Investigation Report, Feasibility Study, Record of Decision (including amendment), and other documents are available online and at the Apollo Memorial Library, 219 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Apollo, PA 15613-1397.
Contact the Pittsburgh District Public Affairs Office at mailto:CELRP-PA@usace.army.mil or (412) 395-7500 for more information.
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