Military Munitions/Unexploded Ordnance

The Department of Defense promulgating the Munitions Response Site (MRS) Prioritization Protocol (MRSPP) as a rule.

Munitions and Explosives of Concern Hazard Assessment
In the spring of 2004, EPA convened a work group with other federal agencies, States, and Tribal participants to develop a hazard assessment methodology for munitions response sites. The methodology that is under development is intended to be used in the CERCLA process to help project teams evaluate explosive safety hazards, as well as removal and remedial action alternatives to address those hazards. The documents, issue papers, outreach efforts, and other materials related to this effort are available at the work group website.

Overview
Historically, millions of acres of former munitions ranges were transferred from the military to be used for other purposes. These properties are formerly used defense sites (FUDS) or property transferred by the past five rounds of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) (i.e., 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2005). The Department of Defense (DoD) is currently working to further define the inventory of sites and acreage that are potentially contaminated with military munitions and to prioritize these sites for cleanup. Environmental regulators overseeing response actions dealing with military munitions have an independent authority and/or responsibility to evaluate the public safety and environmental aspects of these response actions.

While some of the sites are fairly small, others may cover dozens or even hundreds of square miles in area. Ranges or other sites contaminated with military munitions may potentially have soil, ground water and surface water contamination from munitions residues (including explosives and heavy metals, and at a small number of sites, chemical warfare agents or depleted uranium). These residues may derive from partially detonated and decomposing ordnance and explosives from training activities, flares, smoke grenades, open burning and open detonation disposal activities, munitions burial sites, weapons testing and other military activities. Of course, the potential for premature detonation of the munitions is generally the principal concern during initial response actions.

Fatalities and severe injuries have resulted from citizens accidentally being exposed to military munitions or from people deliberately removing military munitions for souvenirs or other use. A number of chemical exposures with associated health effects have also been reported, some related to chemical warfare agents.

For more information, please contact:

Doug Maddox, FFRRO
Phone: (703) 603-0087
Email: maddox.doug@epa.gov