Researchers studying faster remediation at former missile site in Butler County

The former NIKE CD-78 missile launch site northwest of Oxford, Ohio is the focus of an ongoing remediation effort by the Army Corps of Engineers. The 14-acre site was part of the US military's Cold War-era air defense system, but has since been owned by Miami University and used for research, storage, and law enforcement training. USACE Project Manager Randall Russell explains that the site has continued to have some groundwater pollution issues, which USACE has been addressing through a process called monitored natural attenuation. They are now studying whether other cleanup techniques could achieve a more timely response. USACE recently sent letters and surveys to the surrounding community, seeking input on how residents would like to be notified about updates on the cleanup project. Once the site is fully remediated, it can be redeveloped for private use - as has happened at other former Nike missile sites, where facilities have been converted into private homes and amenities.