About 70 Glenview residents, most of whom lived in The Glen, packed a meeting room at the Glenview Park Center at an open house about a planned spring remediation for a former Navy landfill and burn pit from the 1950s off Buccaneer Drive in early March. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)
The U.S. Navy has released a five-page document addressing resident concerns regarding a planned remediation project at the former Naval Air Station Glenview, now known as The Glen.
The three-phase, 20-week project at “Site 26” — a former landfill and burn pit off Buccaneer Drive — was originally scheduled to begin in April. However, officials delayed the start to allow for public feedback on the newly released question-and-answer document.
Matt Mogle, a Navy public affairs officer at Naval Station Great Lakes, said work will begin three to four weeks after the Navy issues a formal notification that the public comment period has ended. Mogle did not provide a specific date for that notification.
The Navy’s Site 26, fenced-off, off Buccaneer Drive in Glenview earlier this month. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)
The Navy still owns Site 26, though much of the base, which operated from 1937 to 1995, was sold to developers following its decommissioning.
Once construction begins, the project will follow a three-stage schedule:
Phase 1 (6 weeks): Site preparation and mobilization.
Phase 2 (10 weeks): Heavy equipment usage and the bulk of waste removal.
Phase 3 (4 weeks): Project wrap-up and site restoration.
To minimize local impact, work is restricted to weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to avoid rush-hour traffic.
A small half court basketbal court sits in front of what the Navy has called “Site 26” in Glenview. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)
The Navy reached a “record of decision” to remediate the site in 2018, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start. Mogle noted that this is the final year of secured funding for the project.
The project aims to replace a temporary clay cap installed in 2000 with a permanent solution: total excavation.
“Removing the waste entirely ensures the land can be used by future generations without restrictions,” the Navy document stated.
Investigations identified three primary contaminants exceeding residential standards: polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Following excavation, the Navy will test soil and groundwater to confirm the cleanup’s success.
Glenview Community Engagement Director David Just said the village is finalizing a scope with a consultant to help monitor the project.
The Navy has established a Site Safety and Health Plan that includes real-time air monitoring for dust at the work zone perimeter. If dust levels exceed 0.150 milligrams per cubic meter above background levels, work will stop immediately.
Mitigation measures include wetting soil with a fine water spray or covering stockpiles. All air monitoring results will be posted online for public review.
A map at a Navy open house at the Glenview Park Center this month shows how trucks will drive through Buccaneer Drive and other streets taking out contaminated dirt from what has become known as Site 26. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)
The remediation will require approximately 750 covered trucks to haul an estimated 15,000 tons of waste to an off-site landfill.
Trucks will follow a one-way route along Buccaneer Drive to West Lake Avenue. The Navy stated that alternative routes through a nearby industrial park were unavailable because an agreement could not be reached with the private landowners.
The Navy plans to conduct video surveys of the haul route before and after the project. Officials said the Navy will pay for any road damage determined to be caused by the truck traffic.
Buccaneer Drive in Glenview, a small residential road in The Glen off what the Navy is calling “Site 26.” (Tom Robb/Journal photo)
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