This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico is facing a $140,135 fine for violations of Virginia environmental regulations.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has released a proposed enforcement action against the base, according to a public notice published last week in InsideNoVa/Prince William.
Base Commander Col. Will Bentley signed the proposal on June 8. It becomes effective after a 30-day comment period.
The action found the base in violation of several provisions of the Virginia Waste Management Act, which governs the base because it generates solid and hazardous waste.
DEQ officials inspected the base and found the violations in August 2019.
According to the proposed enforcement, violations include medical swabs contaminated with blood thinner that had been disposed of with general waste. In addition, expired chemicals, products and containers were observed in the shop, science and art classrooms of the base’s middle and high schools.
Also, DEQ could find no arrangement with local emergency responders outlining the location and layout of hazardous waste in case of a fire or an explosion at the base.
The base also includes a former landfill along Russell Road, which officials also found to be in violation. DEQ saw several mechanisms lacking proper labels, inadequate signage, poor vegetative coverage and erosion.
Quantico public affairs officials did not respond to requests from InsideNoVa for comment.
