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Historic year for Baltimore’s Formerly Used Defense Site Program

Published Dec. 3, 2014
Crews completed excavation work under the first tent at 4825 Glenbrook Road in August.  Excavation work under the second tent location started Dec. 1.

Crews completed excavation work under the first tent at 4825 Glenbrook Road in August. Excavation work under the second tent location started Dec. 1.

Fiscal Year 2014 ended with a celebratory success for the Baltimore District’s Formerly Used Defense Site Program. 

Typically the district’s Formerly Used Defense Site Program, better known as FUDS, obligates about $20 million every fiscal year.  But in fiscal year 2014 the district’s team more than doubled that amount. 

“In spite of the government shutdown and late funds, we still pulled off the biggest year in the history of Baltimore FUDS at over $52.2 million,” said Ed Hughes, Baltimore District’s FUDS program manager. 

This amount made up 24 percent of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers national FUDS program.  Hughes attests the accomplishment to additional money received from Congress late in the fiscal year and the hard work of his team to effectively use it on projects. 

“The extra money will allow us to finish cleanup work at Tobyhanna FUDS in Pennsylvania and keep work moving at the 4825 Glenbrook Road project in Washington, D.C. (part of Spring Valley FUDS),” Hughes said.  “It also provided a significant amount for work at Nansemond FUDS in Virginia.”

The district’s dedication also was noticed by Headquarters, Corps of Engineers.  Karen Baker, acting chief of the Environmental Division, sent a congratulatory letter to Brig. Gen. Kent Savre, commander of the Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division.  The letter thanked the North Atlantic Division for their work on the FUDS Program and recognized several Baltimore District employees. 

“We've come through a year that was filled with challenges; e.g., a government shutdown at the beginning of FY14 and a late arrival of 76% of the $270.4 M program funds in the third quarter,” Baker wrote.  “Please allow me to extend my genuine appreciation especially to the following team members: Edward Hughes, Dan Noble, George Follett, and Sher Zaman of the Baltimore District as well as Heather Sullivan, Gary Morin, Dean Brammer, and Maryellen Iorio of the New England District. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is extremely fortunate to have your FUDS team as we continue to ‘set the standard’ in Army Excellence.”

The Department of Defense (DoD) is required to identify, investigate and cleanup environmental issues that resulted from past DoD practices on property it previously owned or leased. Such properties are known as FUDS. The Corps of Engineers works on behalf of DoD on the FUDS program. Baltimore District currently manages more than 70 active FUDS projects throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia and Virginia.