Travis AFB NIKE Battery 86 Inventory Project Report - Corpsfuds.org

SITE SURVEY SUMMARY SHEET FOR
DERP-FUDS SITE NO. J09CA097700
SITE NAME: Travis Air Force Base Defense Area, Nike Battery 86.
LOCATION: Nike Battery 86 is located 8 miles southwest of Elmira and 2 miles northeast of Fairfield in Solano
County, California. There are two areas of Nike Battery 86, the Launcher Area, which includes the Facility Area,
and the Integrated Fire Control (IFC) Area. The Launcher Area of Nike Battery 86, is located along Air Base
Parkway and the IFC Area is located on Cement Hill (See Figure 1).
SITE HISTORY: Nike Battery 86 was formerly used by the Department of Defense (DOD) as a Nike Ajax and Nike
Hercules missile site. Nike sites were deployed by the United States (U.S.) Army throughout the continental U.S.
between the mid 1940's to the mid 1970's. The Nike sites were established to protect major metropolitan areas and
strategic military installations from aerial attack.
Nike Battery 86 consists of two units (117.65 acres total), a Launcher Area which includes the Facility Area (82.31
acres), and the IFC Area (35.34 acres). The property for Nike Battery 86 was acquired by fee (53.38 acres total), by
license (1.01 acres total), by easement (62.30 acres total), and by transfer (0.96 acres) between 1940 and 1970. The
acreage for a clearance strip beyond the security fence (record of area not available) was acquired in 1970.
The Launcher Area was the location where the missiles and warheads were assembled, maintained, and prepared for
firing. The barracks, the mess hall, and the officer quarters were located at the Facility Area. The IFC Area is
located to the north of the Launcher and Facility Area, at the top of Cement Hill in Fairfield, California. The IFC
Area contained radar, electronic guidance, and communication equipment needed to identify incoming targets,
launch missiles, and direct missiles in flight.
A total of 117.65 acres was disposed of. On April 18, 1958, 6.48 acres was reported as excess to the General
Services Administration (GSA) and was conveyed by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) to
Armijo Joint High School District on October 30, 1958. The license for 0.84 acres was terminated on March 15,
1959. On May 23, 1972, a total of 107.54 acres was reported as excess to GSA which was conveyed as follows:
17.98 acres by fee to the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District on June 15, 1975; one half interest in 21.90 acres
by easement to the County of Solano on June 16, 1975 and the other half interest by easement to Travis Unified
School District on June 15, 1975; 0.17 acres by easement to the County of Solano on June 16, 1975; 12.98 acres
with "recapture clause" was conveyed to the Travis Unified School District on June 15, 1975; 15.77 acres by fee,
37.19 acres by easement, and the area with no record to the County of Solano on June 15, 1975; and 1.55 acres by
easement to Hofmann Construction Company on April 16, 1973. The transferred acreage (0.96) expired under its
own terms on May 23, 1972. GSA assumed accountability of the remaining acreage (1.66 acres by easement and
0.17 acres by license) on January 13, 1984.
The Suisun-Fairfield Unified School District is the current owner of the Facility Area. Solano County controls the
IFC Area located on Cement Hill.
SITE VISIT: On July 8, 1988, a site visit of Nike Battery 86 was conducted by the Camp Dresser & McKee Inc.
(CDM) audit team. The names of persons contacted during the site visit are contained in the project file.
The Facility Area is currently owned by the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District which uses the former DOD
buildings for storage of school equipment. During the time of the site visit, several 55-gallon drums were located
near the former mess hall. According to the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (August 1990), the 55-gallon

drums are owned by the District and are reported to contain petrochemical residue and water. The team observed
four vent pipes but only three access plates, indicating the probability of four underground storage tanks (USTs).
The school district reports there are only three USTs at this location and that they have not been used by the school
district. Other than the minor amount of debris which was observed, assumed to be from the current use of the
property since the former DOD buildings are still intact, the area was well maintained.
In addition, during the site visit, piping covered with what appears to be asbestos was observed inside the former
kitchen in the Facility Area. The school district reported (August 1990) that asbestos thermal insulation located in
the former barracks building, kitchen, and administrative building have been removed. The school district reported
that removal costs amounted to $19,600, and estimates that $14,000 will be required for removing the remaining
asbestos material. Further details can be found in the project file.
The existing Launcher Area is adjacent to the Facility Area and is currently used by the Fairfield-Suisun Unified
School District for maintenance and parking of school buses. An excavation which formerly housed a 4,200 gallon
UST was observed during the site visit. A vent pipe which was presumed to be from another UST (300 gallon) was
also observed. The existing former DOD buildings were in good condition and the area was well maintained.
According to the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (August 1990), the 4,200 gallon UST was located next to
the former generator building, a typical Nike site design according to historical reports. In 1979, the school district
used the 4,200 gallon UST for storage of fuel for buses. In June 1988, the tank was discovered to be leaking. A
total of 1,800 gallons of fuel were recovered from the tank excavation. Groundwater contamination was determined
to be present, and the school district hired a consultant who installed a groundwater recovery system.
The school district discharges treated groundwater from the recovery system under an NPDES permit it maintains
with the local Sewer district. The permit expires in 1992. However, the existing recovery system may not complete
groundwater cleanup by the 1992 date. A recovery system with a larger capacity may accelerate remediation.
According to the school district, such a system would cost $400,000. The school district has spent $116,280 of its
own monies for the groundwater remediation effort to date (August 1990).
The IFC Area, located on Cement Hill, did not appear to be in use during the July 1988 site visit. Current ownership
of the property is unknown, but the site is fenced, the gate was locked, and the lock identification indicated it
belonged to Solano County. The above-ground diesel tank was still in place, although is did not appear to be in use;
the contents are unknown. All of the former building were still standing, but in poor condition. The area did not
appear to be in use at the time of the site visit.
Additionally, the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District has reported (August 1990) that seven oil-filled
transformers that were installed by DOD are at the site. Three transformers are on an aerial platform (37.5 KVA)
and four are pole mounted (three 15 KVA and one 5 KVA). The transformers have been de-energized by the
District because the poles were unsafe to climb.
CATEGORY OF HAZARD: CON/HTW
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
a. CON/HTW. The proposed project consists of locating and removing up to 5 underground storage tanks and their
associated piping, and removing one aboveground storage tank. Seven transformers in the Facility Area need to be
inspected for PCBs; if they contain PCBs they need to be removed and disposed of properly.

The 4,200 gallon UST which was installed by DOD in the Launcher Area but used by the current owner was
removed and groundwater contamination from the tank is currently being remediated. Remediation is overseen by
the current owner due to beneficial use and is thus not covered by the FUDS policy.
AVAILABLE STUDIES AND REPORTS:
1. ... Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. Status of Hazardous Materials at Nike Site.
Memorandum. August 17, 1990.
PA POC: Sharon Bruno, CESPK-ED-M, Sacramento District,
(916) 551-1049.

DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM
FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES PROGRAM
FINDINGS AND DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY
NIKE BATTERY 86
FAIRFIELD, SOLANO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
SITE NO. J09CA097700
..- FINDINGS OF FACT
1. A total of 117.65 acres was acquired by the Department of
Defense (DOD) for Nike Battery 86. The acquired acreage
consisted of 53.38 acres by fee, 1.01 acres by license, 62.30
acres by easement, 0.96 acres by transfer, and an unrecorded
amount of acreage for a clearance strip beyond the security
fence.
The acreage by fee was acquired from the estate of Frank H. Tooby
on December 21, 1955 (46.90 acres), and from Norman S. Andrew, et
a1 on May 20, 1957 (6.48 acres). The acreage by license was
acquired from the County of Solano in November 1955 (0.10 acres)
and on November 13, 1956 (0.84 acres), and from Southern Pacific
Company on June 27, 1956 (0.07 acres). The acreage by easement
was acquired from the estate of Frank H. Tooby on January 17,
1956 (59.91 acres), from Ivy Perry, et a1 on December 13, 1956
(1.26 acres) and September 21, 1957 (0.29 acres), and from
Sacramento Northern Railway on August 28, 1957 (0.05 acres) and
April 24, 1970 (0.79 acres). The remaining acreage was acquired
by transfer from the Bureau of Reclamation Department of the
Interior (DOI) on January 13, 1970 (0.96 acres) and from Arthur
Tooby, et a1 on May 2, 1970 (record of area not available).
2. The property was used as a Nike missile defense site. The
primary activity performed by DOD at Nike Battery 86 included the
assembly and maintenance of Nike missiles, identification and
tracking of incoming targets, and directing Nike missiles in
flight. The property was also used for housing military
personnel and contained barracks, a mess hall, officers quarters,
and basketball courts.
3. A total of 117.65 acres was disposed of. On April 18, 1958,
6.48 acres was reported as excess (SF 118 No. SAC RE 13) to the
General Services Administration (GSA); the property was conveyed
by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) to
Armijo Joint High School District by quit claim deed (QCD) dated
October 30, 1958. The license for 0.84 acres was terminated on
March 15, 1959. On May 23, 1972, a total of 107.54 acres was
reported as excess (SF 118) to GSA. This property was conveyed

as follows: 17.98 acres by fee through the Secretary of HEW to
Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District by QCD dated June 15,
1975; one half interest in 21.90 acres by easement to the County
of Solano by QCD dated June 16, 1975 while the other half
interest was conveyed by easement through the Secretary of HEW to
Travis Unified School District by QCD dated June 15, 1975; 0.17
acres by easement was conveyed through GSA to the County of
Solano by QCD dated June 16, 1975; 12.98 acres with Itrecapture
clausew was conveyZ by and through the Secretary of HEW to .
Travis Unified School District by QCD dated June 15, 1975; 15.77
acres by fee, 37.19 acres by easement, and the acreage with no
record to the County of Solano on June 15, 1975; and 1.55 acres
by easement to Hofmann Construction Company by QCD dated April
16, 1973. The 0.96 acres transferred from the DO1 expired under
its own terms on May 23, 1972. GSA assumed accountability of the
remaining acreage (1.66 acres by easement and 0.17 acres by
license) on GSA form 1011 dated January 13, 1984.
The Suisun-Fairfield Unified School District is the current owner
of the Facility Area. Solano County controls the IFC Area
located on Cement Hill.
DETERMINATION
Based on the foregoing findings of fact, the site has been
determined to be formerly used by the DOD. Therefore, it is
eligible for the Defense Environmental Restoration Program for
Formerly Used Defense Sites, established under 10 U.S.C. 2701 et
seq.
Date * ROGER F. YANKOUPE
~rigadier General, U. S. Army
Commanding

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