Allegany Ballistics Laboratory

Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) is a Navy-owned research, development, and testing complex in Rocket Center, Mineral County, West Virginia, sitting on the floodplain of the North Branch of the Potomac River along the West Virginia and Maryland state line. The installation has been in operation since 1942 and falls under the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), where its mission has centered on solid rocket propellants, motors, ammunition, and other energetic materials for the Navy. Over its long history, manufacturing, testing, and waste-handling activities across the roughly 1,600-acre property introduced a range of industrial chemicals into the environment. The portion of the facility known as Plant 1 was added to the federal Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) on May 31, 1994. Cleanup work at the site remains active today.

Investigations by the Navy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have documented contamination of soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment at ABL, and some contaminants have been detected offsite in the North Branch of the Potomac River. The concerns below relate to chemicals tied to historical degreasing, manufacturing, and disposal practices at the installation.

1. Trichloroethylene (TCE): TCE is a chlorinated solvent that was widely used as an industrial degreaser. At ABL, TCE and other chlorinated solvents were used in degreasing operations during the 1960s through the 1970s, and these practices have been associated with the chlorinated volatile organic compound (CVOC) contamination found in site groundwater. Exposure to TCE has been associated in scientific literature with concerns about potential effects on the liver, kidneys, immune system, and developing fetus.
2. Solvents and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Beyond TCE, additional solvents such as methylene chloride were used at the facility, contributing to the broader VOC and CVOC contamination documented in soil and groundwater. VOCs are a group of carbon-based chemicals that can evaporate readily and migrate through groundwater, and concerns about potential exposure have prompted ongoing monitoring at the site.
3. Heavy metals: Metals associated with manufacturing, testing, and waste-disposal activities have been identified in soil, sediment, and surface water at ABL. Certain heavy metals can persist in the environment, and long-term exposure to some of them has been associated with a variety of potential health concerns, which is why they are tracked as part of the cleanup.
4. Explosives and energetic compounds (including RDX): As a propellant and energetics installation, ABL handled explosive and energetic materials, and explosives-related contaminants have been documented at the site. RDX and similar compounds are associated with concerns about potential effects on the nervous system, and their presence is among the reasons the property is being investigated and remediated.

Because Plant 1 was placed on the NPL in 1994, the site is addressed as a federal Superfund facility. The Department of the Navy leads the cleanup under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), with EPA overseeing the work to confirm it follows federal regulations and guidance. In January 1998, the Navy, EPA, and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) signed a Federal Facilities Agreement that identified areas for investigation and possible cleanup, and remediation and monitoring at the installation are ongoing.

Veterans and others who served at or worked near Allegany Ballistics Laboratory may wish to stay informed as the cleanup continues and new information becomes available. Anyone with questions about possible exposure and their health or benefits is encouraged to speak with their health care provider and to contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to learn about available evaluations and resources.