Kirtland and AFCEE restore sites, recycle munitions debris

Published Feb. 9, 2011
By Terri Bright
Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment and restoration officials at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., have 'gone green' in their munitions cleanup approach, returning hundreds of acres to mission use while at the same time recycling several tons of used munitions.

"Removing munitions and munitions debris is its own reward -- we're cleaning up these areas for future generations and knowing that we're working to make an area safer," said Scott Clark, Kirtland military munitions response program manager. "But it's even sweeter when we're able to turn those munitions into recyclable metal. I can say with confidence that the Air Force is implementing the military munitions response program in a smart and thoughtful manner, and it's something we should all be proud of."

The mission of the Air Force military munitions response program, or MMRP, is to take action to ensure munitions response areas and munitions response sites located off of active test ranges are safe for reuse, and to protect human health and the environment.

"AFCEE is focused on getting MMRP sites cleaned and closed, and returning the assets back to the war-fighter for beneficial base and mission use," said Michael Litman, AFCEE MMRP program manager. "One of our many goals is to eliminate or reduce the potential explosive and environmental hazards remaining on, or in, used military munitions. Integration of green practices into all MMRP acquisitions is also of primary importance. We are focused on promoting environmental stewardship, sustainable approaches and energy security."

Several projects at Kirtland have already reached completion. Restoration officials and contractors from HydroGeoLogic, Inc., have removed and demolished 6.8 pounds of solid propellant from a proximity fuze testing area, in addition to clearing and recycling 64,000 pounds of munitions debris from several mine shafts and tailings piles including one mine located 35 feet below ground. A surface clearance was also completed over a portion of the field firing range, with 828 acres out of the 2,200-acre response area being successfully cleared by a 20-person field team over a seven-month period. A total of 124,620 pounds of munitions debris were removed and recycled and 742 munitions and explosives of concern were demolished onsite.

AFCEE is also assisting the base with several ongoing MMRP projects, including remedial investigation and soil sampling to support a "No Further Action" decision on areas and sites that were investigated during the installation's Phase II Comprehensive Site Evaluation. Field activities will begin in March 2011.

Also underway is the cleanup of two former trap and skeet ranges. A performance-based contracting vehicle is being utilized for Environmental Chemical Corporation to conduct an engineering evaluation and cost analysis, and to conduct the removal action necessary to obtain regulatory closures on the ranges.

AFCEE utilized the overarching PBC approach to reduce the cost and time required to complete environmental restoration projects while effectively managing the government's environmental liability. PBC is part of performance-based management, a holistic and systematic results-based approach to restoration programs and site closure that promotes cost effectiveness.

While future use of the ranges has not yet been determined, residential closure standards will be obtained to allow for unrestricted use.

In addition to the Kirtland projects, AFCEE also executes MMRP projects at several other bases including Hill AFB, Utah; Lackland and Randolph AFBs in Texas; Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.; Nellis AFB, Nev.; and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. AFCEE is also working to develop risk assessment guidance for the Air Force MMRP. (Ms. Bright is a contractor in AFCEE's Capital Investment Execution Division)