The remediation system approved in March 2015 was completed and activated in March 2016. The system was shut down in September 2019 with DEQ approval to begin a two-year period of groundwater monitoring. If petroleum concentrations rise above cleanup goals, DEQ will request further cleanup. Current cleanup goals include protecting beneficial use of the Potomac River and restoring the property to productive use as a commercial facility.

In March 2013, NRG, the owners of PRGS, reported the in-place closure of two 25,000-gallon underground storage tanks used for heating oil. After closure, NRG and their environmental consultants collected soil and groundwater samples from the tank area that contained petroleum contaminants. NRG reported the release to DEQ and DEQ opened pollution complaint number 2013-3154 and requested additional site characterization

NRG and their consultants discovered heating oil in the ground surface consistent with the heating oil stored in the two underground storage tanks closed in place at the property. The heating oil was found in two layers of material: one gravel layer roughly between 8-14 feet above sea level (asl), and a second gravel layer roughly between 0-5 feet asl. The lower level is at the same elevation as groundwater and the Potomac River.

The affected area is roughly 12,000 square feet and extends broadly from the PRGS basement to the Mount Vernon Bike Path adjacent to the Potomac River, owned by the National Park Service. Based on risks to the environment from petroleum contaminants, DEQ asked NRG to provide a Corrective Action Plan to cleanup petroleum contaminants.

DEQ approved the Corrective Action Plan following public comment period in early 2015. NRG and their consultants performed additional characterization and construction throughout 2015 and 2016.

NRG activated the remediation system in March 2016. Monitoring data suggests that the system is recovering and treating contaminated groundwater effectively. With DEQ approval, NRG shut down the remediation system in March 2018 to monitor conditions without treatment. Based on increasing contaminant concentrations, NRG restarted the remediation system in August 2018. In September 2019, NRG shut down the remediation system a second time, with DEQ approval.

Site Files

The following is a chronologic listing of files related to site assessment and corrective action at the Potomac River Generation Station. 

• Release Report & Site Characterization Report
• Corrective Action Plan (CAP) and Related Documents
• CAP Implementation Reports, 2015-2016
• CAP Implementation Reports, 2017
• CAP Implementation Reports, 2018
• CAP Implementation Reports, 2019
• CAP Implementation Reports, 2020

DEQ and the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water are attempting to install drinking water wells that can produce enough quantity to serve properties in the vicinity. As of July 2020, DEQ contractors were performing additional well drilling and testing in an attempt to provide permanent clean water to properties that have contaminated wells. In the meantime, DEQ’s contractor maintains carbon filtration units to treat contaminated water at properties.

In December 2013, a release from an underground storage tank storing gasoline was reported to the DEQ Blue Ridge Office. The DEQ Blue Ridge Office opened pollution complaint number 2014-2256 for the release. The leaking storage tank was removed along with heavily contaminated soil.

Nearby properties in Meadows of Dan rely on wells or springs for drinking water. DEQ contractors tested drinking water supplies within a ¼-mile radius of the release for contamination. DEQ notified property owners with contaminated drinking water and installed carbon filtration units to treat contaminated waters. DEQ has also monitored properties at risk of contamination by sampling monitoring wells and springs.

Multiple contractors operated remediation systems to recover gasoline and contaminated groundwater from the subsurface from February 2016 to November 2018. DEQ has continued to sample groundwater and surface water to assess the extent and intensity of the contamination, and has coordinated with VDH to install permanent sources of clean drinking water at properties in the area.