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News Release 2002 Detonations of Two Military Projectiles Scheduled for WednesdayCamp Edwards, Mass. — Two 155-millimeter projectiles will be destroyed in open detonations at Camp Edwards Wednesday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The detonations will not affect the Sandwich Neighborhood Buffer Zone and there is no risk to nearby residents. The detonations will be conducted in the Central Impact Area, approximately two miles from any base boundary. The munitions were found in an area, formerly used for subcaliber aircraft rocket and other training, known as the SCAR Rocket Site. This site is being investigated as part of the Impact Area Groundwater Study Program’s Munitions Survey Project. This project is looking at 25 former training or defense contractor testing sites identified as potentially containing munitions that were discarded, buried or failed to explode on impact and, if necessary, clear them of unexploded munitions that could potentially pose a threat to public safety. A total of 14 areas, selected through geophysical surveys using magnetic readings to locate buried metal, are being investigated on the SCAR Rocket Site as part of the project. The projectiles were discovered about 12 inches beneath the surface and were determined to be explosive munitions that did not properly detonate when fired. Explosive experts for the Groundwater Study Program have determined that these items are unsafe to move and pose a threat to workers in the area, so they must be destroyed in place. Whenever possible, munitions found during the Groundwater Study Program’s investigation are recycled for scrap or, if they potentially contain explosives, are taken to safe storage for future contained detonation. Following any open detonation, soil is tested for residual explosive compounds. If contamination is found, the soil is covered and scheduled for removal and disposal in accordance with applicable regulations. The Groundwater Study Program, led by the National Guard Bureau, has been working on an investigation and cleanup of the northern 15,000 acres at Camp Edwards since 1997. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection oversee the program. For further information on Groundwater Study Program activities, log on to www.groundwaterprogram.org. # # #
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| Administrative Notice |
