Military Munitions/Unexploded Ordnance Links

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Key Munitions Documents
- EPA Munitions Policy and Guidance
- Site-specific Munitions Information
Other Federal Agency Resources
- Department of Defense (DoD) Munitions Policy and Guidance
- Government Accountability Office (GAO) Munitions-related Reports
Additional Information Resources

Key Munitions Documents

This is not a comprehensive list of documents available on this topic. For a full list of all relevant documents, please visit the FFRRO Library (http://www.epa.gov/fedfac/ffrro_library.htm).

EPA Munitions Policy and Guidance

EPA Federal Facilities Forum Issue Paper: Site Characterization for Munitions Constituents (PDF) (170 pp, 7.9MB)
This paper provides remedial project managers and other federal, state, and private personnel working on hazardous waste sites the technical information needed to make decisions regarding the nature of energetic residues on Department of Defense training ranges (and other munitions sites, such as Formerly Used Defense Sites), sampling strategies that provide representative samples, and analytical methods developed to characterize these samples.
Interim Munitions and Explosives of Concern Hazard Assessment (MEC HA) Methodology
In spring 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 is intended to be used in the CERCLA process to help project teams evaluate current or baseline explosive safety hazards to people, as well as the relative reduction in hazards associated with CERCLA removal and remedial action alternatives. The documents, issue papers, outreach efforts, and other materials related to this effort are available at the MEC HA Methodology Technical Work Group (TWG) (http://www.epa.gov/fedfac/documents/hazard_assess_wrkgrp.htm).
U.S. Corp of Engineers (COE) Letters to California, Texas and Illinois Regarding Munitions on Closed Military Ranges (PDF) (4 pp, 165K) - October 21, 2005
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/federalfacilities/enforcement/cleanup/munitions_fuds.pdf
This document provides EPA's views concerning military munitions left on closed ranges.
Handbook on the Management of Munitions Response Actions - May 2005
http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=P100304J.txt
Military Munitions Rule: Hazardous Waste Identification and Management; Explosives Emergencies; Manifest Exemption for Transport of Hazardous Waste on Right-of-Ways on Contiguous Properties (Final Rule) (PDF) (21 pp, 45K)
http://www.epa.gov/osw/laws-regs/state/revision/frs/fr156.pdf
EPA finalized regulations that clarify when conventional and chemical military munitions become a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This rule amends existing regulations regarding emergency responses and RCRA manifest requirements.
Munitions Response Guidelines (OSWER Directive 9200.1-101) (PDF) (33 pp, 446K) – July 27, 2010
http://www.epa.gov/fedfac/documents/docs/munitions_response_guidelines.pdf
Recommendations for EPA Regional Offices on Preliminary Assessments and Site Inspections for the Department of Defense Military Munitions Response Program (OSWER Directive 9200.3-60) (PDF) (6 pp, 1.4MB) - April 5, 2010
http://www.epa.gov/fedfac/pdf/recommendations_pa_si_mmrp.pdf
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Incident Report (Revision 1) (PDF) (471 pp, 1.3MB) - September 30, 2001
http://www.epa.gov/fedfac/pdf/2001UXOreport.pdf
DoD and EPA Management Principles for Implementing Response Actions at Closed, Transferring, and Transferred (CTT) Ranges - March 7, 2000
http://www.epa.gov/fedfac/documents/uxo_principles.htm

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Site-specific Munitions Information

Left to corrode, unexploded ordnance (UXO) can release toxic substances, including explosives and heavy metals, into the soil and groundwater. For example, Royal Demolition Explosive (RDX), a highly toxic explosive constituent, has been found at Fort Ord.
RDX is the same chemical that triggered EPA’s unusual Safe Drinking Water Act cleanup order at the Massachusetts Military Reservation (http://www.epa.gov/region1/mmr/), where range contamination threatens the drinking water supply serving hundreds of thousands of people.
Over 200 potential UXO sites have been identified under the Adak Naval Air Station operable unit (OU) B. This contamination is primarily a result of World War II munitions storage, handling and training.
The Washington, D.C. Army Chemical Munitions (Spring Valley) (http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/npl/DCD983971136.htm) site, located in the northwest section of the District of Columbia, is a 660-acre facility that was used as a research and test center for chemical weapons during World War I.