Environmental Protection of Heavy Weapons Ranges: Technical and Practical Solutions

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF HEAVY WEAPONS RANGES: TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS DEVELOPED IN COOPERATION AMONG ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEFENSE SPECIALISTS FROM FINLAND, NORWAY, DENMARK, SWEDEN, USA AND CANADA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF HEAVY WEAPONS RANGES: TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS 2 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF HEAVY WEAPONS RANGES: TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS PREFACE Requirements of environmental legislation and enhanced The Nordic countries have a long history of cooperation and understanding of environmental impacts of military train- information exchange in the environmental field. Within the ing have highlighted the need for developing environmental Nordic Defence Estate –cooperation forum, a permanent protection on shooting and training areas. Although leg- working group for environmental issues was established islation and practical requirements vary from country to already in 2004. In 2015, the cooperation broadened to country, there is a global trend of increasing expectations include the Baltic countries as well. The Nordic-Baltic towards defence authorities in the area of environmental Defence Estates (NBDE) –cooperation forum’s Working Group protection. Environment has formed the backbone of the Environmental Protection of Heavy Weapons Ranges project organization, Extensive research on relevant issues concerning key by coordinating the use of resources from the participating environmental impacts of heavy weapons shootings has Nordic countries, and providing a network of specialist in been conducted in several countries. Sharing information defence related environmental issues. and knowledge is essential to fill the gaps within the knowledge base of different countries and to save time A list of participants is in Appendix 1A. It should be noted and resources. that the content of this document does not reflect the policies or programs of their respective governments. To answer these elevated expectations, an international project was launched in 2016 on the initiative of Finland. The project’s prime goal was to gather existing data of environmental aspects on heavy weapons ranges and to assess, describe and recommend possible methods to manage environmental impacts. One goal was to achieve a process to assess and design the sufficient level of environmental protection at actual sites. The participants in the project included environmental and legal experts from the defence administrations of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the United States and Canada. From Finland there were also environmental authorities and specialists from other government agencies. Importantly, the project organizers recognized that more than environmental expertise alone was necessary. In order to define genuinely feasible solutions, the possibilities and limitations in developing training practices must be understood. For that purpose, experienced military officers were included in the project. 3 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF HEAVY WEAPONS RANGES: TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS Executive Summary It is important to have a conceptual model to help assess the environmental impacts on a certain range. To form a Military training with heavy weapons has several impacts Generic Conceptual Model (GCM) all the activities that may on the environment; these impacts can be either temporary have an effect on the environment are drawn on a map or or lasting. During training itself, the use of heavy weapons a generic picture of the area. With the GCM it is possible to generates noise. One of the long-term effects of training identify the possibly sensitive environmental compartments are the traces of explosives and other contaminants left in and to decide the focus area(s) for further assessment. the soil and groundwater. Training activities may also neg- atively affect nature in the area, including flora and fauna. The next step is to list all the training activities in a simple However, it can also be noted that certain species actually table and identify the possible primary impacts they may benefit from military activities; for example, pioneer species have on the environment. At this point there is no need to need burnt terrain to thrive. Contaminated soil or water as assess transport routes or secondary impacts on humans well as noise can further have harmful effects on nature and environment. The primary impacts are noise, dust and or people. There are also direct physical impacts such as air emissions, contaminants, disturbance on soil and direct dust, soil condensation and burning. impact on flora and fauna. Armed forces are expected to fully meet the requirements of One of the most significant environmental impacts of training environmental protection. Due to the tightening legislative on heavy weapons ranges is noise. Noise can cause annoy- requirements combined with an enhanced understanding ance and, in the worst case, negative health effects. For a of the environmental impacts of military training there is an heavy weapons training area operator, the main risk is annoy- increased need for more standardized technical solutions ance due to noise. This may lead to a conflict with surround- and management practices on shooting and training areas. ing communities and eventually to limitations of training To better facilitate future international cooperation, envi- opportunities by e.g. strict environmental permit conditions. ronmental protection schemes should be more uniformed and take into account specific needs that visiting troops or Noise from heavy weapons is different from other types of those training together in multinational coalitions may have. environmental noise. It is impulsive by nature and it has different frequency characteristics than, for example, traffic The project’s prime goal was to gather existing data of envi- noise. Noise is created in different ways in different phases ronmental aspects on heavy weapons ranges and to assess, of the shooting event. Emissions can be divided into the describe and recommend possible methods to manage blast, projectile noise and impact (explosion) noise. environmental impacts. One goal was to achieve a process to assess and design the sufficient level of environmental Vibration and rattle are also associated with heavy weapon protection at actual sites. shootings. Vibrations occur both in the ground and inside a building. Reducing vibrations from low frequent sound in The project focused on the full range of environmental the building is best achieved by reducing the noise itself. In aspects of heavy weapons training. It covered noise man- extreme cases the largest explosives or larger propellant agement, nature and cultural heritage management and charges of the heaviest cannons may excite actual vibra- contaminant management. The content focuses on these tion in buildings, for instance in floors or walls. Vibrations three topical areas: from explosions can cause damage to the foundation of a building, but this requires much higher vibration levels than − environmental impacts caused by heavy weapons can usually exist in the housing areas surrounding heavy training, weapons training areas. − practices and technologies which could be used to might mitigate some of these impacts, The spectrum of an explosion usually contains more low frequency sound than from the confined explosion of a − recommendations for the impact management and gun. Humans do not perceive low frequencies, as the sound the topics for further study and development. level is relatively high. Wood frame houses and windows In order to manage environmental impacts of shooting and respond to the low frequency component of the sound with training activities on military ranges, one must first understand rattles and vibration. The low frequency sound waves from the impact mechanisms, emissions and the significance of the explosions propagate over much longer distances than the impacts specific to a given site. With this information, a deci- sound waves of higher frequency. sion about the need for further measures can be made. After the initial assessment, further surveys, modelling and more The environmental authorities commonly give noise regu- detailed risk assessments may be needed before the correct lations in the form of noise guidance or limit values and/or level of risk management and feasible methods can be chosen. restrictions on operation hours. In order to reduce the risk 4 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF HEAVY WEAPONS RANGES: TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS of having unwanted restrictions on military training areas, sions but are usually negligible when the mass of explosive the noise risks of heavy weapons training should proactively charges are 5-10 kg or larger. be determined. For identifying the risks of noise produced by heavy weapons training, a detailed knowledge of the Military training may have considerable impacts on the training area, noise emissions, training activities, geogra- nature values and cultural heritage of the training area. phy and nearby communities is essential. Impacts are often negative, but there may be some posi- tive effects as well. Areas disturbed by fire, heavy vehicles Most favorable and effective noise mitigation methods usu- or grenades, for example, provide suitable living conditions ally used for environmental noise, such as reducing noise for some species. The impacts are site-specific and their emissions, are not applicable to training with heavy weap- importance needs to be evaluated for each area and situa- ons. For reducing the effects of noise from

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