Fort Bliss Restoration Advisory Board Meeting 14 October 2009 Wide Area Assessment to Characterize Munitions Density at Closed Castner Firing Range Good evening. I am here tonight to discuss a project about to begin on Castner Range. First some background. The Department of Defense (DoD) is committed to the cleanup of contaminated sites at military installations in the United States. Since 1986, DoD has implemented the Defense Environmental Restoration Program and more specifically, the Military Munitions Response Program, also known as MMRP, to address the safety, environmental, and health hazards from munitions found on locations other than operational ranges. This work will be governed under the law called the Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or otherwise known as CERCLA. This allows for site cleanup in phases: Preliminary Assessment (PA) Site Inspection (SI) Remedial Investigation / Feasibility Study (RI/FS) Record of Decision (ROD) Remedial Action (RA) We will be conducting a technology demonstration/validation project to collect on the amounts and types of munitions found on Castner Range. Fort Bliss Restoration Advisory Board Meeting 14 October 2009

Agenda What is Wide Area Assessment? Where are we conducting this project? Why is the Army undertaking this project? What is not part of this project? What is part of this project? How will this project be implemented? Project Timeline Project Team How can I stay informed?

WAA Definition WAA is not a technology. It is a method of applying technologies to quickly and cost effectively gather large amounts of data about a site. WAA goals: Identify areas of concentrated munitions use Provide measures of relative munitions densities within a site Support decisions on areas with no indication of munitions presence Wide Area Assessment (WAA) is the specialized application of munitions response site (MRS) characterization technologies to gather large amounts of data rapidly, improving the understanding of a site and supporting site management decisions. WAA is not a specific technology, but rather a set of methods for applying technologies that increases their coverage and data collection rates. WAA can support decisions at various stages of the munitions response process, such as characterizing the nature and extent of unexploded ordnance (UXO) [during the remedial investigation (RI) phase]. By implementing WAA, the Army hopes to: Identify areas of concentrated munitions use, Identify areas with no indication of munitions use, and Provide measure of relative munitions densities across the site.

Where are we doing this?

Why are we doing this? To demonstrate innovative munitions detection technologies on an Army property. To understand the risk from UXO so we can make good management decisions. Where are UXO in high densities? …low densities? To collect data to support the “remedial investigation” phase of the CERCLA process. Understand “nature and extent” of UXO. Army needs to employ best available site characterization methods Ensure good risk management decisions. Ensure good stewardship of tax dollars. As I previously stated, we are here to conduct a technology demonstration project. Currently, conducting detailed investigations of large Munitions Response Sites using current geophysical practices is very costly and time consuming. Large areas of land within the MRS inventory may contain no UXO, so the benefits associated with conducting detailed site characterization on all of this land are unlikely to justify the costs. The Army requires technologies to assess large sites quickly and cost effectively to: • Identify areas of concentrated munitions use, • Identify areas with no indication of munitions use, and • Improve the understanding of relative densities of UXO across Castner Range.

What is NOT being done? Remedial Investigation. Decisions about future land use. Decisions about transferring the property. Decisions about developing the property. Decisions about mapping individual ordnance items. Decisions about cleaning-up all the munitions. The data collected from this project will eventually support the Remedial Investigation. This project will not address: Decisions about future land use at Castner Range. Transferring the property from the Army to other entities. Developing the property. Mapping individual ordnance items. Identifying and cleaning-up every ordnance item on the site. We recognize that these issues are very important to you, but the Army will make these decisions at a future date. We are only here to conduct a demonstration/validation of munitions detection technologies. We are not conducting the Remedial Investigation.

What is being done? Collecting data about the distribution and density of munitions on Closed Castner Range. Demonstrating costs and benefits of innovative detection & discrimination technologies. (Trying to get the most accurate data as fast and cost-effectively as possible.) This project will: Provide information on the distribution and density of munitions on Castner Range. Demonstrate and document the costs and benefits of using innovative munitions detection and discrimination technologies. Results from this project will be used to support the future Remedial Investigation.

How are we going to execute this project? Employ innovative Wide Area Assessment (WAA) methods on the site: Lidar & Orthophotography Helicopter-borne Magnetometry Towed Array Geophysics Man-portable Geophysics Work with stakeholders to plan the details. The two general categories of technologies employed in WAA are optical and geophysical. Optical technologies collect data used to develop high resolution digital surface images of an MRS. The data and images are then analyzed for surface features indicative of munitions-related activities (e.g., craters, targets, or berms). These technologies include lidar and orthophotography. In general, optical technologies do not detect potential UXO items; instead, they produce images that may reveal evidence of past munitions-related activities [e.g., training, testing, and open detonation (OD)]. At an MRS, lidar and orthophotography may locate surface features such as bombing targets, and crater fields. This data may be used to validate or revise conceptual site models and to plan for subsequent investigations with technologies that detect UXO. Geophysical technologies are an assortment of sensors that collect data about the physical properties (e.g., magnetism, electromagnetic fields) of the surface and subsurface of the earth to detect the presence and position of MEC. The primary geophysical technologies used to detect UXO include magnetometers and EMI systems. They identify magnetic anomalies on the surface and subsurface of an MRS from metallic UXO and munitions debris. These technologies are used in helicopter-borne magnetometry, towed magnetometer and EMI arrays, and man-portable magnetometer and EMI arrays. The technologies planned for use on Castner Range include: Lidar and Orthophotography (Optical) Helicopter-borne Magnetometry (Geophysical) Towed Array Geophysics (Geophysical) Man-portable Geophysics (Geophysical) We will discuss each method in more detail in the following slides.

How: Lidar & Orthophotography Light Detecting and Ranging (Lidar): Airborne technology for modeling ground surface Orthophotography: Georeferenced digital aerial photos Both detect surface features, not UXO Data and point density are key to detection capabilities Both ~5,000 acres/day This project will deploy lidar and orthophotography using a sensor array combining a digital camera, laser and sensor, GPS, and IMU, affixed to an appropriate helicopter and flown at an altitude of 300–1,000 m. The sensor array will meet industry standard specifications for accuracy and will produce orthophotos with a pixel size of 10 to 15 cm and a lidar data density of 4 to 8 points/m2. The aircraft and sensor array will be capable of covering approximately 5,000 acres/day and deployed to cover 100% of the MRS being investigated. Lidar and orthophotography provide georeferenced images of surface features that may indicate locations of past munitions-related activities, including the identification of a potential MRS that may not be visible from the ground surface. These airborne technologies are capable of assessing very large areas for which historical data may be incomplete or imprecise, thus providing an additional layer of data that corroborates or corrects historical records and the results of SIs. The data also may be used to demonstrate or improve the accuracy of the conceptual site model. Lidar and orthophotographs are used to assess potential areas where munitions-related activities may have occurred based on ground features such as target objects, crater fields, OB/OD areas, berms, or roads. Previous demonstrations conducted by the Department of Defense have shown that lidar can reveal individual bomb craters, as well as target features such as bull’s-eye rings or simulated ship targets, even when these features are highly eroded (berms under 10 cm tall) and not visible to ground crews. These data can be used as the first step in an RI to quickly identify areas where UXO may be present and to help direct the application of subsequent investigation using ground-based technologies.

How: Helicopter-Borne Magnetometry Full coverage of accessible acreage 1-3 m altitude Detection capability Large (>60mm) and concentrations of smaller UXO Decreases with distance from items ~500 acres/day This project will deploy a system configuration of seven magnetometer units employed with a horizontal spacing of 1.5m and a total coverage width (swath width) of 9 m. A Hughes MD530 helicopter, or equivalent, is used as the deployment platform. 100 percent coverage is assumed for areas accessible to low altitude helicopter flight. Helicopter-borne magnetometry detects and spatially locates magnetic anomalies at an MRS. The output is a digital map depicting anomaly densities and distributions. As an airborne technology, helicopter-borne magnetometry is capable of collecting data over large areas relatively quickly, assuming a relatively flat MRS without tall vegetation or highly ferrous geology. In ideal applications, helicopter-borne magnetometry can detect and provide precise locations of individual larger UXO and clusters of smaller UXO, which can focus subsequent response activities and result in reduction of site risk. An advantage of using helicopter-borne magnetometry is that it can characterize an MRS more rapidly than ground-based methods. A drawback of this method is that the technology does not detect all types of UXO. The sensors on a helicopter-borne magnetometry platform are 4 to 20 times farther away from the ground surface than geophysical platforms such as man-portable or towed array, resulting in little to no detection of smaller UXO (60mm or smaller).

Ground-based Geophysics Magnetometers detect ferrous (e.g., iron, steel) material. Electromagnetic induction (EMI) systems induce an electromagnetic field and measure the response of objects (both ferrous and nonferrous metallic objects) near the sensor. There are two ground based technologies available to use on a MRS. Magnetometers. “Magnetometers detect ferrous (e.g., iron, steel) material by measuring changes in the earth’s magnetic field caused by the material. Magnetometers are passive devices that respond to ferrous materials, such as iron or steel. Magnetometers will not respond to metals that are not ferromagnetic, such as copper, tin, and aluminum” (ESTCP et al. 2006). Electromagnetic induction. “EMI is a geophysical technology used to transmit an electromagnetic field, which in turn induces a secondary magnetic field in conductive items. When secondary magnetic fields of military munitions or other conductive items exceed background responses, they can be identified as potential anomalies requiring further investigation. EMI generates secondary magnetic fields in both ferrous and nonferrous items that can be measured to detect the item” (ESTCP et al. 2006).

How: Towed Array Mag and Electromagnetic Induction EMI Transect-based survey ~1.5-3% of site Limited by vegetation and terrain Good probability of detection to 11X diameter depth 5-20 acres/day 21,500–87,000 linear feet of transect This project will deploy a EM61 towed array design consisting of two or three EM61 sensors and one Trimble Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS. The system travels 3 to 5 mph. The number and arrangement of sensors on the platform are based on the smallest item to be detected. Transects will be cleared of vegetation to allow for the width of the towed array system (typically 5m). Vegetation must be cleared to less than 1 ft in height to allow sensors to remain close to the ground surface without interference. Transects are designed and cleared in a manner that bypasses established trees and very rough terrain. The towed array WAA method collects georeferenced, digital geophysical data and processes the data to identify and report the locations of subsurface anomalies. The output is a geophysical map of the survey area with the locations of the transect lines and all identified anomalies. The map shows relative densities and distributions of anomalies, which support differentiation of background from areas of concentrated munitions-related activity. An appropriate color scale is used to represent the range of response values above the established threshold value. Targets are numbered sequentially. A target list is also generated that includes the coordinates and response value of each anomaly. The processed data can also be used to generate site “dig lists” to support intrusive investigation and removal.

How: Man-Portable Ground-based Mag and EMI Transect-based survey ~1.5-3% of site Ability to access all vegetation and terrain Good probability of detection to 11X diameter depth 1-5 acres/day 6,600–33,000 linear feet of transect This project will use an EM61-MK2 (for EMI) and a Trimble RTK GPS for location. Depending on terrain and vegetation, coverage rates are typically 1–5 acres/day. To allow the man-portable instrumentation to move along established transects, select vegetation is removed or cleared to less than 1 ft in height. Transects are established and cleared in a manner that bypasses established trees and very rough terrain and minimizes the need to remove dense brush. The man-portable WAA method collects georeferenced, digital geophysical data and processes the data to identify and report the locations of subsurface anomalies. The output is a geophysical map of the survey area including locations of transects and all identified anomalies. The map shows relative densities and distributions of anomalies, which allow differentiation of background from areas of concentrated munitions-related activity. An appropriate color scale is used to represent the range of response values above the established threshold value. Targets are numbered sequentially. A target list is also generated that includes the coordinates and response value of each anomaly. The processed data can also be used to generate site “dig lists” to support intrusive investigation and removal. Production rates are lower than towed array but detection rates with man-portable methods are on the same order as towed arrays. Man-portable geophysical methods can be employed in areas inaccessible to towed arrays and helicopter-borne systems, such as rugged terrain and dense vegetation. In some cases, the ability to clear vegetation may be limited due to the presence of protected species and habitats. The footprint associated with man-portable systems is less than towed array systems, so it takes less room to operate and less vegetation clearing is required to allow site access.

Project Schedule We start the planning process Friday with our first Technical Project Planning (TPP) meeting. Oct 2009 – Apr 2010: Site Characterization Apr 2010 – Jul 2010: Data Analysis Oct 2010 – Dec 2010: Anomaly Identification and Intrusive Investigation Jan 2011 – May 2011: Report Writing

The Project Team US Army Environmental Command US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District Fort Bliss Environmental Division Contractor Team – URS Corporation (Prime Contractor) TerraPoint USA, Inc. (Lidar & Orthophotography) Sky Research, Inc. (Helicopter Magnetometry & Ground-based Geophysics) NAEVA Geophysics, Inc. (Ground-based Geophysics) Stakeholders Environmental Regulators Tribes Interested Public

How can I stay informed? Future RAB meetings TPP meetings (six scheduled throughout the project) per installation discretion Request for review/input on plans and reports

QUESTIONS?