Temporary Emergency Permit to Detonate Unstable Ordnance Casings Found Buried at Fort Hunter Liggett
Summary
SCH Number
2002028384
Public Agency
California Department of Toxic Substances Control
(DTSC)
Document Title
Temporary Emergency Permit to Detonate Unstable Ordnance Casings Found Buried at Fort Hunter Liggett
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/22/2002
Document Description
The granting of a temporary emergency Hazardous Waste Treatment Permit to Fort Hunter Liggett to detonate approximately 2000, 105mm steel shell casings which still contain their black powder primer charges. These casings were unearthed during a construction project and they are approximately 20 years old. Normally this type of munitions is shipped to an OB/OD facility for treatment. However, due to their age and level of deterioration, DTSC and the U.S. Department of the Army have determined that these casings are unstable, the primer charges cannot be separated and therefore they are unsafe to ship. The items were discovered on or about December 11, 2001, for an emergency permit to detonate on site. The permit is effective from February 18 to March 1, 2002. The ordinance will be divided into 3-4 batches and detonated as separate events. EOD personnel will attach 1.25 pounds of C-4, which will be used as a donor charge per 18 casings. The casings are placed in a pile with a specific orientation with the donor charge placed on the outside of the pile. This is done in a specific manner to control the blast energy, so as to optimize the combustion of the material and minimize the formation of harmful compounds. Since there will be no significant material or hazardous waste remaining after the detonation, the site will be left for use in future training detonations.
Contact Information
Name
Alain Dehaze
Agency Name
Department of Toxic Substances Control
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Monterey
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 15061
Reasons for Exemption
The activity will take place in an area in the center of the 169,000 acres of Fort Hunter Liggett. Only EOD trained specialist will be handling the material, to ensure safety during the ordinance detonation procedures. There is a cleared buffer surrounding the MARC for a distance of 300 meters. The nearest offsite human receptors are 10 miles from the point of dentonation. The los Padres National forest lies to the west and north of the base. It is nearly 10 miles to the nearest boundary form the point of detonation. The nearest critical habitat is over 3 miles from the MARC. With this distance and the short duration of this event, at a location routinely used for training detonations, potential for impact to the habitats from this event is not significant.
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