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Removal Action on East Vieques
In July 2005, the Navy began a Time-Critical Removal Action (TCRA) to remove surface munitions in and around the former Live Impact Area (LIA). The TCRA is rapidly reducing the imminent explosive safety risk to trespassers and allows the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) to safely manage natural resources in the wildlife refuge, including the sea turtle nesting areas along the beaches of the LIA.
Beginning in 2008, the Navy will remove subsurface munitions from the roads and beaches on east and west Vieques, to further reduce health and safety risks.
The map below shows the restricted area, including the areas of land and surrounding water where munitions from former firing ranges may be present (referred to as range fans), as well as demolition explosive arcs and air monitoring locations. Click
here
to download this full-size map as a PDF file.
The Navy uses open-air, controlled detonations as the safest way to dispose of large bombs and other dangerous munitions. These detonations occur about twice per month. This procedure is necessary for most of the munitions found on the former range, due to the high explosive safety risk to workers that would be caused by moving unstable munitions and/or the large size of certain munitions.
During the detonations, the Navy performs air monitoring at the LIA and along the boundary between the wildlife refuge and the populated areas of Vieques. (For air monitoring locations, see the larger version of the above map.) To date, nothing has been detected that would be considered harmful or cause adverse effects on human health or the environment.
The regulatory agencies (EPA and EQB), other agencies responsible for emergency response (Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration), and the municipality of Vieques are informed every time a detonation is scheduled.
Munitions Response Progress (as of
December 2009)
Acres Surface Cleared of MEC
- Live Impact Area (LIA): 859 of 958 acres
- Surface Impact
Area (SIA): 413 of 700 acres
- Eastern Conservation Area (ECA):
136 acres
- 1344 of 1794 total acres surface cleared to date
MEC Items Recovered/Destroyed
- Bombs: 7,194
- Projectiles: 11,090
- Rockets
746
- Pyrotechnics: 548
- Sub-munitions: 10,348
-
MEC Components: 1,622
- Igniters: 77
- TOTAL OF
31,625 munitions items
The green shading on the map below shows the areas where munitions have been removed from the surface of the ground in the former LIA.
Red areas are inaccessible due to submunitions. Blue areas have
lagoons or standing water.
Employing Vieques Residents
Currently over 80
onsite workers are Vieques residents. Hiring local residents, instead of bringing workers in from the U.S., has reduced travel and lodging costs, saving more than $2.1 million per year, which is re-allocated to the munitions cleanup. In addition, these workers are an important source of information for the local community about the cleanup effort.
During the past year,
approximately $5.52 million has been contributed to the local Vieques
economy through: salaries to local employees, lodging, and vehicle
rentals.
From FY05 through FY09 approximately $17.1 million
have been contributed to the local economy through: hiring local Vieques
residents to assist in the cleanup, subcontracting local contractors for
logistical support, and paying contractor per diems and vehicle rentals.
Recycling Scrap Metal
Most of the munitions-related debris removed from the former LIA is treated at the Central Processing Center (CPC). The material is cut with a shearing device, inert bombs are crushed with a hammer mill, and the materials are heated in a flashing furnace to ensure that no explosive residues remain. Once the scrap metal is certified as safe, it is loaded into trailers and sent off the island for recycling.
A total of 15.1 millions lbs of scrap metal has
been collected, with 11 million lbs processed and shipped for recycling.
West Vieques Munitions Response
The old Open Burn/Open Detonation site (SWMU 4) is the only munitions response site on western Vieques. In 2001, Green Beach (Punta Arenas) on western Vieques was investigated, found to be clear of munitions, and opened to the public.
SWMU 4 was used for thermal destruction of unserviceable munitions from about 1965-1980. Field investigations for explosives and ordnance scraps were conducted in 2002-2003, with removal of munitions found on the surface and limited removal of subsurface munitions. Over 200 acres were found to contain munitions or explosives of concern. To protect the public until investigation and cleanup is completed, the much larger buffer area shown on the map below has been fenced off until the munitions response is complete.
A Draft Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis Report, which evaluates the removal of subsurface MEC from the roads and beaches in the vicinity of SWMU 4, was submitted to the regulators in 2007.
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