Department of Defense (DoD) Program

California’s Department of Defense (DoD) Program directs environmental cleanup efforts at military facilities or properties formerly used by the military (FUDS) that are impacted by releases of hazardous substances or waste and unexploded or remnants of military munitions. The program addresses a wide range of contaminants including leaking underground and aboveground storage tanks, industrial solvents, fuels, heavy metals, unexploded munitions, and emerging substances such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Cleanup projects vary in technical complexity, from more straightforward tank removals to large-scale, multi-agency federal Superfund projects.

Core Program Purpose & Framework

Regulatory Structure: The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) manages the program statewide, while the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regional Water Boards) provide direct regulatory oversight within their respective regions.
Interagency Collaboration: The State Water Board and the Regional Water Boards partner with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) through structured funding and regulatory arrangements to clean up contaminated military properties and FUDS.
Cooperative Agreement: The DoD program operates through the use of the Defense and State Memorandum of Agreement Cooperative Agreement (DSMOA CA). The DSMOA CA allows for more efficient collaboration and coordination among military branches, state agencies, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to support expeditious cleanup at military facilities and FUDS while ensuring compliance with California’s environmental laws and regulations.