UXO Site selected: Alabama Army Ammunition Plant, ALBirmingham Army Air Base, AL |
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General Area: Childersburg, ALBirmingham, AL Site Type/Program: FUDSFUDS Location: Alabama AAP is located just northwest of Childersburg, Alabama in an area of rolling terrain. About 2,356 acres of the AAAP facility remain under DOD ownership and control and will remain under DOD control until the exact nature and extent of contamination is determined and remedial actions are taken.Located in the northeast section of Birmingham, Alabama and is currently surrounded by local businesses, single and multi family homes and other city development. Brief History: The government acquired Alabama Army Ammunition Plant(AAAP) land in 1941 for a government-owned/ contractor operated (GOCO) facility with the main mission being the production of nitrocellulose (NC), single-base and tetryl smokeless powder and the explosives trinitrotoluene (TNT) and dinitro toluene (DNT). A P-5 energy plant was also in operation during the war. This Atomic Energy Commission plant, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, Manhattan District, produced heavy water from about 1943 through 1945. AAAP was deactivated at the conclusion of World War II and various decontamination and rehabilitation efforts took place until 1975 when the Department of the Army declared the AAAP excess to its needs. In 1977, the 1,354 acre parcel that contained the NC and the Smokeless Powder Manufacturing Areas was sold to Kimberly Clark, Inc. A 272 acre (291 acres is the quoted figure in some reports) parcel was "leased back" to the government for additional decontamination until August 1983.Between the years 1942-1946, the Birmingham Army Air Base was used by the Army Air Corps as an Air Support Command Base. The Birmingham Army Air Field Chemical Warfare Training Office conducted training of all personnel on the base. The Air Corps deactivated the Birmingham Army Air Base at the end of WW II and transferred land by August 1947. The site has become predominately the Birmingham Municipal Airport servicing both commercial carriers and private flights. A portion of the FUDS (approximately 86.44 acres) is leased from the Armory Commission of the United States for use by the Alabama Air National Guard, and the State of Alabama Armory Commission uses 15.43 leased acres. |
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Range / Site Description: The Army inventory identified two munitions ranges and two UXO-DMM-MC sites (OB/OD Areas) at AAAP, totaling 854.3 acres. The sites include:
Cannon Range - Approximately 400 acres used for practice ordnance - The cannon test range was two long concrete tunnels. Large caliber cannons were direct fired into the tunnels to test either the projectiles or the gun tubes. Flashing Ground - 31 acre OB/OD area where bulk explosives and munitions were disposed of. OLD Burning Ground - 72 acre OB/OD area where bulk explosives and munitions were disposed of. Small Arms Ballistic Range - 351 acre range. Associated Munitions: Practice munitions, high explosive OB/OD area, and small arms. Activities Completed: The Archives Search Report was completed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District in June 1994.The ASR was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District in April 1994. Issues: There are known Federally and State listed species occurring in the site area.Area A has the potential of having riot control pellets remaining on the surface of the site. There is no technological way to find riot control pellets and riot control pellets must be ignited in order to function. It is also reasonable to presume that these pellets would have deteriorated over time since they are water soluble. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) recommended that there be no further action performed in this area and has revised the ASR RAC score of 2 to 5. Other Information: The munitions sites are being addresed under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program.NOFA |
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