Munitions Response Activities
This page outlines the process the USACE follows while conducting Munitions Response Activities for FUDS projects.
An outline of the typical steps for munitions response activities is as follows:
- Preliminary Assessment of Eligibility (PAE): A preliminary assessment of a property or project is done to determine if the work can be completed under the FUDS program. This step confirms that a property meets the requirements of the FUDS program and has contamination.
- Time-Critical Removal Action (TCRAs): The response to an immediate situation or threat of a situation that is a risk to public health (serious injury or death) or the environment that cleanup or corrective activities must occur. Once the immediate threat at an area is taken care of through a TCRA, additional work that may be necessary is done through the process described below. TCRAs can be conducted at any point during a munitions response activity if it is determined that an immediate threat is presented to human health or the environment due to existing site conditions.
- Archive Search Report (ASR)/Site Inspection (SI): This refers to investigation activities that confirm the presence of military munitions at a site. The purpose of the ASR/SI is to merge the information collected during the PAE, with additional information collected about or from the site, confirm any onsite contamination through a site investigation, reevaluate risk connected to a site, and identify areas of known or suspected munitions. A historical summary of the site will be developed based on historical information, information from maps, drawings and aerial photographs; interviews; and visual inspections of the site.
- Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA): An investigation conducted to evaluate the site and its risk, identify and evaluate removal alternatives, and select a response action. The purpose of the EE/CA is to identify the most appropriate response action to address a munition risk at a project site. The recommended response alternative is based on the completion of a site characterization, risk assessment of munition hazards at the site, and evaluation of potential response alternatives.
- Remedial Design (RD): The purpose of the remedial design process is to describe the technical details of how the remedial action will be performed.
- Remedial Action (RA): The remedial action is intended to permanently and comprehensively address both short and long-term health and safety hazards at munition-contaminated sites.
- Project Completion.
Activities to Date
Site Investigation
Site investigations continue to be performed at various areas across the Camp Hale project area. These investigations are conducted to identify areas that were previously used by the military and need further study to determine if any military munition hazards are present. Site investigation activities include review of historical documents and interview information from past and present users of the site. Historical and current maps are examined with this information and areas of possible military use are identified. Site visits to these areas then are conducted to verify the presence of military munitions.
Site investigations were performed in August 2000, June 2001, July and September 2002, and July 2003. During these investigations, munition items were encountered and disposed of by Fort Carson Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel.
2001 TCRA
A TCRA was performed in the summer of 2001 in and next to the East Fork valley to make sure there were no munition hazards along the Colorado Trail/Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (Trail). The TCRA consisted of a surface sweep of the Trail and the East Fork Group Campground in the valley closure area. The sweep was conducted from 19 to 29 June 2001 and covered approximately 67 acres. Evidence of 10 different types of munitions was found, and 2 items were destroyed by Fort Carson Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel.
2003 TCRA
TCRA work was performed during summer 2003 in the East Fork valley. This work consisted of a surface clearance of approximately 500 acres, located in the valley from about the Camp Hale Memorial Campground and extending east about 2.5 miles to the end of the valley. Munitions or munition-related scrap materials were found, and 24 live items were destroyed. This TCRA was completed in eleven weeks, on August 15, 2003.
Future Activities
Public Involvement
Project-related information will be provided regularly to interested local residents and area users through information sheets, public meetings, media releases, and updates to this web site.
Munition Response Activities
Eventually, the project will complete all the steps outlined above in relation to military munitions response activities. At this time, it is not known yet when this will occur. However, through regular sharing of information with interested community members and area users, people interested in the area will be kept informed of the progress being made on this project.
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