ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS FOR CITIZENS

by M. Lambert Unexploded Ordnance: A Reference Guide for the Citizen

This publication is published by the Hazard- he Technical Outreach Services contain lead, which might contaminate ous Substance Research Centers as part of their Technical Outreach Services for Com- for Communities (TOSC) pro- firing ranges on bases. How- munities (TOSC) program series of Environ- Tgram of the Great Plains/ ever, many “formerly used defense mental Science and Technology Briefs for Rocky Mountain Hazardous Sub- sites” (known as FUDS in military par- Citizens. If you would like more information stance Research Center (HSRC) acts lance) have been left with unexploded about the TOSC program, contact your re- gional coordinator: as a source of technical expertise for ordnance that present a special kind of citizens at formerly used defense sites hazard to those workers involved with Northeast HSRC undergoing environmental cleanup. cleaning up the site, and for any future New Jersy Institute of Technology Many communities across the United use of the area. Otto H. York CEES 138 Warren St. States are near former military bases Types of former military installa- Newark, NJ 07102 that have environmental problems. A tions where UXO may be encountered (201) 596-5846 complication in the cleanup of these during environmental cleanup typically sites is the potential presence of UXO include depots where ordnance may Great Plains/Rocky Mountain HSRC Kansas State University (unexploded ordnance). TOSC pre- have been stored and decommissioned, 101 Ward Hall sents this reference about UXO to help as well as bombing, , and gun- Manhattan, KS 66506 provide the general public with a nery ranges used for firing practice. (800) 798-7796 greater understanding of the cleanup Figure 1 shows the estimated number Great Lakes/Mid-Atlantic HSRC process in these areas. of UXO at five former defense sites, A-124 Research Complex-Engineering with the estimates ranging from 0.4 Michigan State University INTRODUCTION UXO/acre at the former Lowry - East Lansing, MI 48824 ing Range in Colorado, to 800 UXO/acre (800) 490-3890 Today, the United States military has a heightened environmental aware- at the former Southwestern Proving South/Southwest HSRC ness, even to the point of developing Ground in Arkansas. The number of Environmental Science & Technology Program estimated UXO per site varies because Georgia Tech Research Institute “green” rifle that does not 229 Baker Building Atlanta, GA 30332 (404) 894-7428

Western Region HSRC Oregon State University 210 Strand Agriculture Hall Corvallis, OR 97331-2302 (800) 653-6110

Acknowledgment: Although this article has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmen- tal Protection Agency under assistance agree- Figure 1. Estimates of the maximum number of UXO per acre at five former ment R-819653, through the Great Plains/ defense sites in the United States. DS = Dolly Sods National Wilderness, West Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Re- Virginia (site of a World War II Army training ground); FT. ORD = Former Ft. Ord search Center, it has not been subjected to Artillery and Gunnery Range, California; LOWRY = Former Lowry Bombing and the agency’s peer and administrative review and, therefore, may not reflect the views of Gunnery Range, Colorado; M = Former Motlow Artillery and Gunnery Range, the agency. No official endorsement should Tennessee, and SWPG = Former Southwestern Proving Ground, Arkansas. be inferred. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS FOR CITIZENS PAGE 2 of the different sizes of the sites, differ- Blasting cap: This word means the ent intensities of use, and different same thing as “detonator” (see below). lengths of use as military bases. It should be noted, however, that more Bomblet: Any munition that performs recent estimates of UXO density at its task by separating from a parent Lowry, based on actual excavation, are munition. “Bomblet” means the same as high as 38 UXO/acre. The TOSC thing as “submunition.” program of the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain HSRC (and its companion BRAC: Base Realignment and Closure. program, the Technical Outreach Ser- The process by which the Department vices for Native American Communi- of Defense decided which military bases ties, or TOSNAC) has assisted citizens would be proposed to the United States at several formerly used defense sites, Congress for closure. among them the former Badlands Bombing Range (BBR) in South Dakota. Caliber: The diameter (in millimeters Figure 2 shows a typical UXO warn- or inches) of a projectile, gun, or ing sign posted at the Former BBR to launching tube. warn of the possible presence of unexploded ordnance. An item of UXO CERCLA: The Comprehensive Envi- Figure 2. UXO warning sign posted at recovered from the former BBR is seen ronmental Response, Compensation the Former Badlands Bombing Range in Figure 3, and Figure 4 shows UXO and Liability Act of 1980. A United in South Dakota. Photo by Brenda being detonated as part of the cleanup States law that, among other things, Brandon, GP/RM HSRC. of this site. allowed the President to delegate the Under the Defense Environmental cleanup of hazardous substances at EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Restoration Program (for) Formerly both active and former defense sites. The detection, identification, field evalu- Used Defense Sites (DERP-FUDS), the ation, making safe, recovery, and final U.S. Department of Defense has given Clearance: The clearing of an area of disposal of UXO. the Army the responsibility for environ- all UXO, at least to a specified standard. mental restoration (i.e., cleanup) of Exclusion zone: A safety zone es- former defense sites, regardless of Cluster bomb: A bomb containing and tablished around a UXO cleanup which branch of the service was origi- dispensing bomblets or submunitions. work area. nally responsible for operating the site. In turn, the Army has designated the DERP: Defense Environmental Resto- Explosive: A substance or mixture U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as the ration Program. The program under that undergoes a rapid chemical agency in charge of conducting the which cleanup of formerly used defense change, generating large quantities cleanup. As of 1999, 2,657 former de- sites is conducted. of energy usually accompanied by fense properties were identified as re- hot gases. quiring environmental response ac- Detonator: An explosive activated by tions. FUDS environmental restora- electrical or other means, used to ini- Exposure: Defined as someone coming tion funding for fiscal year 2000 was tiate the main charge. near a UXO, but not necessarily result- $238 million. ing in injury from the UXO. DoD: Department of Defense. Estab- GLOSSARY OF UXO-RELATED lished in 1947, it is the successor to the Fragmentation: Ordnance intended to fragment in operation. TERMS AND ACRONYMS Department of War. This is the civil- ian agency with oversight over Accident: An injury or death caused America’s armed forces. Frost heave: In areas where the soil by the explosion of UXO. freezes during winter, repeated freeze- EE/CA: Engineering Evaluation/Cost thaw cycles may force UXO to the sur- Anomaly: Unusual buried feature in Analysis. Prepared for all non-time face, presenting a danger to human a geophysical (seismic) or magnetic sur- critical OE removal actions. Deter- health and the environment. vey that may be a UXO. mines the extent of a hazard, identi- fies objectives of the removal action, FUDS: Formerly Used Defense Sites. Antimaterial: Designed to deteriorate and analyzes various alternatives These are United States military bases or damage material. that may satisfy the cost, effective- that are no longer in operation. ness, and practicality goals of the Antipersonnel: Designed to kill or removal action. Fuse: A device that initiates an explo- wound. sion in ordnance; also spelled “.” ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS FOR CITIZENS Page 3

Geophysical techniques: Seismic Intentional detonation: A deliber- proximity with the target, or by con- techniques used to determine the pres- ate, planned detonation of UXO as part tact with the target. “Mine” means the ence of buried UXO. of a cleanup program. same thing as “”.

GPS: Global Positioning System. A sys- Intrusive activity: Investigative or MPE: Most Probable Event. The most tem of American satellites in Earth or- removal action that involves actual pen- likely event that could result from an bit that enable military or civilian per- etration of the ground surface in an area accidental, unplanned, or unintended sonnel, equipped with the proper radio known or suspected to contain UXO. detonation of UXO, possibly during a receiver, to determine their position cleanup activity. with high accuracy. Used in UXO in- Land mine: This word means the vestigations to mark locations of same thing as “mine” (see below). Munition: A device charged with ex- anomalies that may be UXO. plosives or other material for use in Long-term monitoring: Observation military operations. “Munition” means Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Haz- of an area at a former defense site over the same things as “ordnance.” ardous Substance Research Cen- a period of time, (usually years) in or- ter (HSRC): The Great Plains/Rocky der to monitor the area for any danger NCP: National Oil and Hazardous Sub- Mountain Hazardous Substance Re- to human health and the environment. stance Pollution Contingency Plan. Re- search Center is one of five regional cen- vised in 1990, the NCP provides the ters in the United States funded by the Magnetometer: An instrument used regulatory framework for action under United States Environmental Protec- for detecting the strength and direction CERCLA. The NCP gives the Depart- tion Agency. The center was estab- of magnetic fields. Used for locating the ment of Defense authority for removal lished in 1989 to conduct research per- metal cases of UXO. of ordnance and explosive hazards. taining to hazardous substances pro- duced through agriculture, forestry, Military range: A designated land NFA: No Further Action. The recom- mining, mineral processing, and other and/or water area used to research, de- mendation of a cleanup program when activities. Operating in EPA Regions 7 velop, test, and evaluate military mu- it is determined there is no danger to and 8, it also runs the TOSC program nitions and explosives, as well as other human health or the environment at in this area. ordnance or systems. an area under investigation.

Ground-penetrating radar: Radio Mine: A munition designed to be hid- NTCRA: Non-Time Critical Removal wave system that penetrates the den, and then exploded, by presence or Action. Removal cleanup action in re- ground to reveal the presence of metal- lic objects that may be UXO.

HQUSACE: Headquarters, United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Illumination: Ordnance intended to produce high intensity light, such as a flare. May be suspended from a para- chute.

Incendiary: Chemicals such as white phosphorus that burn at very high tem- peratures when ignited. Used as filler in ordnance intended to destroy a tar- get by fire.

Inert: Made from the same parts as a real munition, except that it has no ex- plosive content. Inert ordnance is used in training.

Institutional control: Policy on land use meant to minimize exposure Figure 3. An actual item of UXO (in this case, a bomb) found on the Former to UXO. Badlands Bombing Range. Photo by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS FOR CITIZENS Page 4

where it is active, TOSC helps the lo- cal RAB.

RAC: Risk Assessment Code. Used to indicate the risk associated with a haz- ard, on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 be- ing the greatest risk, and 5 the low- est. The RAC is used to prioritize re- sponse actions.

Range: See “military range.”

Range Rule: A proposed regulation be- ing developed by the Department of Defense in order to determine the re- sponse to risks from military munitions and other associated materials on closed, transferred, and transferring military ranges.

Removal action: The cleanup or re- moval of UXO from the environment, including its disposal. Figure 4. UXO being detonated at the Former Badlands Bombing Range during cleanup of the site. Photo by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Response action: Action taken in ad- dition or instead of a removal action of sponse to a threat to human health or the UXO risk) or are assigned a letter UXO so that it does not cause harm to the environment that may be safely grade of “A” (the response alternative human health or the environment. delayed for six months or more. with the greatest effect in removing the UXO risk) to “D” (the response alter- SARA: Superfund Amendment and Re- OE: Ordnance and explosives. OE in- native with the least effect when there authorization Act of 1986. A United cludes explosive devices such as are four remediation alternatives). A States law that, among other things, and explosive substances such grade of “E” would be given to the re- authorized the Secretary of Defense to as TNT. “Ordnance” means the same sponse alternative with the least effect carry out the Defense Environmental thing as “munition.” when there are five alternatives, and Restoration Program. so on. OECert: Ordnance and Explosives Cost Smoke: Filler for ordnance intended Estimating Risk Tool, developed by Primer: A self-contained munition fit- to produce smoke for camouflage or QuantiTech, Inc., for the United States ted into a cartridge case or firing mecha- crowd control. Army Corps of Engineers. OECert is a nism, providing the means of igniting mathematical model that calculates a propellant charge. Stakeholder: Anyone having a per- both individual and public risk from ex- sonal interest or involvement, or com- posure to UXO. Individual risk is de- Projectile: An object such as a bomb, mercial or monetary involvement, in fined as the probability of a person be- bullet, , or that applies force the real property that is to undergo a ing exposed to ordnance during a given through its own movement or inertia. UXO response action. activity on a FUDS. Public risk is de- fined as the sum of all individual risks Propellant: A chemical material or Submunition: This word has the and applies to the entire population sur- materials that produce a large amount same meaning as “ bomblet.” rounding a FUDS. of gas or heat upon ignition; used to put an item of ordnance in motion. TOSC: Technical Outreach Services for Communities. This program provides OERIA: Ordnance and Explosives Risk technical expertise for citizens at Impact Assessment. A qualitative RAB: Restoration Advisory Board. former defense sites (and civilian sites) method for evaluating UXO Composed primarily of local citizens, with environmental cleanup problems. remediation alternatives. Possible re- RABs are formed at DERP-FUDS sponse actions are said to have “No projects wherever there is sufficient TOSNAC: Technical Outreach Ser- Impact” (that is, no effect in removing interest. At the former defense sites vices for Native American Communi- ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS FOR CITIZENS Page 5 ties. This program provides technical cluding the Department of Defense; De- http://www.uxocoe.brtrc.com/ expertise for Native American commu- partment of Energy; Department of the Glossary/Glossary.asp. nities near former defense sites (and Interior; the Departments of the Army, civilian sites) with environmental Air Force, and Navy; and the United Department of Defense Explosives cleanup problems. States Environmental Protection Safety Board; Naval Explosive Agency. It has comprehensive links to Ordnance Disposal Technology Unintentional detonation: A deto- UXO-related Web sites in all of these Division; United States Army nation of UXO that was not planned agencies, as well as links to the UXO Environmental Center; Bureau of in advance. Countermine Forum. It also has Land Management, and PRC downloadable documents, such as one Environmental Management, Inc., USACE: United States Army Corps of from the Department of Defense about 1996, Unexploded ordnance (UXO): Engineers, charged with the responsi- the Range Rule for closed, transferred, an overview. bility of cleaning up formerly used de- and transferring military ranges. fense sites in the United States. The www.frtr.gov/topical/uxo/ Earth Tech, 1998, Draft engineering Corps traces its history to an act of index.html evaluation/cost analysis zone 1 the Continental Congress in 1775 that addendum, Former Buckley Field authorized the first Chief Engineer to The Great Plains/Rocky Mountain (Lowry Bombing and Gunnery build fortifications near Boston at Bun- HSRC TOSC Web site (location of the Range), Arapahoe County, Colo- ker Hill. TOSC Citizen’s Briefs under the cat- rado: prepared for the U. S. Army egory “Useful Publications”) with infor- Corps of Engineers U. S. Army U.S. EPA: United States Environmen- mation about the sites served by our Engineering and Support Center in tal Protection Agency. Established in center through both the TOSC and Huntsville, Alabama, and the U. S. 1970, this is the federal agency charged TOSNAC programs: Army Corps of Engineers Omaha with protecting human health and safe- www.engg.ksu.edu/HSRC/Tosc/ District in Omaha, Nebraska. guarding the environment. toschome.html Geneva International Center for UXO: Unexploded ordnance. It may be The TOSC program national Web Humanitarian , 2001, any kind of bomb, bullet cartridge, site, with information on TOSC activi- Glossary of terms and mine, grenade, or shell. By definition, ties across the United States: abbreviations: U. N. International UXO have been primed, fused, armed, www.toscprogram.org Mine Action Standard (IMAS) or otherwise prepared for action so as 04.10, draft version 6.0. to constitute a hazard. UXO remain The United States Army Corps of unexploded either by malfunction, de- Engineers Web site, with information Mine Action Information Center sign, or any other cause. about Corps cleanup projects and other (MAIC), 1997, Humanitarian activities: demining glossary of terms. UXO Calculator: A statistical tool www.usace.army.mil used to estimate UXO density at a Office of the Deputy Under Secretary former defense site. Density numbers The United States Environmental of Defense for Environmental from the UXO Calculator can be used Protection Agency, charged with pro- Security, 2000, Department of with either the OECert or OERIA tools. tecting human health and safeguard- Defense range rule (for closed, ing the environment, has its Web site transferred and transferring Warhead: The part of a munition that at: military ranges): http:// contains the explosive or other mate- www.epa.gov www.acq.osd.mil/ens/Munition/ rial intended to inflict damage. Munition.html. REFERENCES USED IN USEFUL WEB SITES RELATED PREPARING THIS REPORT United States Army Corps of Engi- neers, 2000, Ordnance and explo- TO THIS TOPIC Colorado Department of Public Health The Department of Defense UXO sives response: Engineering and Environment and the U. S. Manual 1110-1-4009. Center of Excellence Web site, with in- Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha formation about unexploded ordnance District), 2000, Former Lowry United States Army Corps of Engi- and its cleanup: Bombing and Gunnery Range www.uxocoe.brtrc.com/index.htm neers Directorate of Military briefing: Briefing and Tour Site Programs, Environmental Divi- Package on compact disk. The Federal Remediation Technolo- sion, 1999, DERP-FUDS program gies Roundtable (FRTR) EOD-UXO manual (official interim version): Department of Defense, 2001, UXO EC-200-3-7. links Web site is sponsored by several Center of Excellence Glossary: federal departments and agencies, in- ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS FOR CITIZENS Page 6

United States Army Corps of Engi- Ordnance and Explosives Manda- further training restrictions and neers Environmental Restoration tory Center of Expertise (MCX) cleanup at Camp Edwards: EPA Division, 1999, FUDS restoration and Design Center, 1999, OECert Press Release #97-4-10. status and progress: http:// gets a handle on risk of public 156.80.6.61/derparc/derp/ exposure to UXO: http:// QuantiTech, Inc., 1997, fuds1.html. www.hnd.usace.army.mil/oew/ comparative ordnance and explo- news/8riskhnc.html. sive risk final report. United States Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, 2001, United States Army Environmental n n n Interim guidance ordnance and Center, 1999, Army produces green ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Michael Lambert explosive risk impact: Interim bullets: USAEC Environmental has a Ph.D. in geology from the University Guidance Document 01-01, 8 p. Update. of Kansas, and works for the TOSC pro- gram of the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain United States Army Engineering and United States Environmental Protec- Hazardous Substance Research Center. He Support Center, Huntsville, tion Agency, 1997, EPA orders can be reached at [email protected].

Great Plains/Rocky Mountain HSRC Kansas State University 101 Ward Hall Manhattan, KS 66506 (800) 798-7796