The Chemical Warfare Service used a portion of American University and other areas that became part of the Spring Valley neighborhood to operate a large research facility to develop and test chemical agents, equipment, and munitions. The U.S. Army used the remaining part of the area as a camp to house and train engineer troops. Through fiscal year 2001 (the latest figure available), the Corps had spent about $53.4 million on cleanup activities at Spring Valley. Government Entities Have Identified and Removed a Large Number of Hazards, but the Extent of Hazards Remaining Is Unknown

The Corps, in partnership with EPA and the District of Columbia, has identified and removed a large number of hazards from areas within the Spring Valley site. This area contained concrete shell pits or bunkers that were used during World War I to test explosives and chemical warfare agents. In contrast, exposure to arsenic-contaminated soil poses a long-term health risk and the partners have, in the past, disagreed about the level and extent of the risk at Spring Valley. The Corps’ Estimated Cost and Cleanup Schedule May Change as More Information about the Site Is Known

As of April 2002, the Corps estimated that the Spring Valley cleanup would cost another $71.7 million, including fiscal year 2002, and take 5 years beyond fiscal year 2002 to complete, but these estimates are uncertain. Most sites are active Department of Defense (Defense) installations or formerly used defense sites (FUDS).
What GAO Found

During World War I, the U.S. Army operated a large research facility to develop and test chemical weapons and explosives in the area that became the Spring Valley neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Buried ordnance, discovered there in 1993, led to the designation by the Department of Defense (DOD) of 61 acres as a formerly used defense site. Through fiscal year 2001, DOD had spent over $50 million to identify and remove hazards at the site. The government entities involved have identified and removed a large number of hazards, but the number remaining is unknown. The health risks influencing cleanup activities at Spring Valley are the possibility of injury or death from exploding or leaking ordnance and containers of chemical warfare agents and potential long-term health problems from exposure to arsenic-contaminated soil. As of April 2002, the U.S. Army estimated that the remaining cleanup activities would cost $7.1 million and take 5 years. But these estimates are unreliable. GAO summarized this report in congressional testimony (See GAO-02-836T).