Used or Fired Munitions and Unexploded Ordnance at Closed,

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Transferred, and Transferring Military Ranges - Report and

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Analysis of EPA Survey Results

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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

2001

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY v

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Purpose 1

1.2 Background 1

1.2.1 The Challenge 1

1.2.2 The Legal Framework for Range Cleanup 2

1.3 Overview and Design of Survey 3

1.4 Report Organization 7

2.0 GENERAL FACILITY AND RANGE INFORMATION 9

2.1 Introduction 9

2.2 Surrounding Area Characteristics 10

2.3 Range Status 11

2.4 Munitions Potentially Found on Ranges 12

2.5 Range Ownership 15

3.0 THREATS TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT 17

3.1 Introduction 17

3.2 Range Setting 17

3.2.1 Range Topography/Landforms 17

3.2.2 Identification of Explosives in Soils or Groundwater 17

3.3 Community Setting 19

3.3.1 Land Use 19

3.3.2 Surrounding Area Land Use 23

3.3.3 Proximity to Nearest Populations 23

3.4 The Presence of Used or Fired Munitions and UXO 23

3.4.1 Has UXO Been Found on Range? 23

3.4.2 Have Chemical or Biological Weapons Been Found or Suspected on Range? 25

3.4.3 Known or Suspected Potential Off-Range or Off-Site Problems 26

3.5 Incidents Involving UXO 26

4.0 RANGE MANAGEMENT 29

4.1 Introduction 29

4.2 Survey Responses on Who Manages the Range? 29

4.3 Utilization of the U.SArmy Corps of Engineers 30

4.4 Activities on Range 32

5.0 UXO TECHNICAL ISSUES 35

5.1 Introduction 35

5.2 UXO Assessment Problems 35

5.3 Remediation Problems 36

5.4 Use of Statistical Methods To Define the Extent of UXO 37

5.4.1 Use of Statistical Methods on Ranges 37

5.4.2 Recommendations Based on Statistical Methods 37

5.5 Addressing UXO 39

5.5.1 Indications by DoD Organization or Contractors That UXO Will Not or Cannot Be Addressed 39

5.5.2 Situations Out of Regulator’s Control That Needed Immediate Attention 39

6.0 REGULATORY STATUS AND ISSUES 41

6.1 Introduction 41

6.2 Range Regulatory Authorities 41

6.2.1 Under What Program Is Range Regulated? 41

6.2.2 Who Regulates the Range? 41

6.3 Compliance with CERCLA and the NCP at Sites Where USACE Has Been Utilized 43

6.4 Submission of Draft Work Plans to the Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board for

Review and Approval 44

6.5 Open Burning, Open Detonation 45

6.6 Is the Range or Site Covered by a Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA), State Cleanup

Agreement, Permit, or Order? 47

6.7 Institutional Controls/Land Use Controls 49

7.0 CONCLUSIONS 51

7.1 Introduction 51

7.2 Applicability of Findings 51

7.3 Data Gaps 51

7.3.1 Inactive Versus Closed Ranges 51

7.3.2 Regulatory Programs 52

7.3.3 Applicability of Subpart X to OB/OD Ranges 52

7.3.4 Number, Size, and Distribution of Ranges 52

7.4 Risks to Human Health and Safety and the Environment 53

7.5 Range Status 53

7.6 Technical Issues 53

7.7 Regulatory Oversight 54

7.8 General Conclusions 54

APPENDIXES

Appendix A Methodology

Appendix B Raw Data of Facility and Range Characteristics

Appendix C Raw Data of Threats to Human Health and the Environment

Appendix D Raw Data of Range Management

Appendix E Raw Data of UXO Technical Issues

Appendix F Raw Data of Regulatory Status and Issues

Appendix G Letter from Tim Fields, Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency

Response, EPA, to Sherri Wasserman Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary for Environmental

Security, DoD, April 22, 1999

Appendix H DoD and EPA Management Principles for Implementing Response Actions at Closed,

Transferring, and Transferred (CTT) Ranges, March 7, 2000