The USACE has released an updated EM 200-1-15, Environmental Quality: Technical Guidance for Military Munitions Response Actions, providing updated technical guidance for the planning and execution of MMR projects. The new document, released September 8, 2026, replaces the 2018 version.

The updated guidance is a valuable reference for contractors supporting USACE munitions response work. UXO technicians, project managers, and technical staff should review the new guidance and consider its potential impact on current and upcoming UXO projects, work plans, and project execution.

The new EM can be accessed at: https://www.publications.usace.army.mil.

Hagatna, Guam Legislation to ban the open burning and open detonation (OB/OD) of hazardous waste on Guam was introduced by Guam Sen. Sabina Perez. If passed, Bill No. 360-36, would make OB/OD of hazardous waste illegal in Guam.

However, since it was initially introduced an amended version of Bill 360 was drafted to include an exception to allow (open detonation) of World War II UXO until, "such time that a safer alternative to open detonation is identified and available to Guam."

Washington, D.C. DoD released a policy manual on the management of Material Potentially Presenting An Explosive Hazard (MPPEH). The manual expands upon previously issued polices regarding MPPEH by going into more specific detail as to how MPPEH should be managed at DoD sites. The manual starts off with an expanded definition of MPPEH into five broad categories including 1) munitions and munitions debris, 2) range-related debris, 3) munitions containers and packaging, 4) munitions-related facilities and associated equipment, and 5) other debris.

The manual includes a section on munitions used for training or display which requires these items to be certified as Material Documented as Safe (MDAS) and be permanently marked as inert. In addition, the manual requires that DoD components track training or display items in an inventory management system along with the MDAS chain of custody paperwork.

Methods for determining the explosives safety status explained in the manual include: visual inspections, DDESB-approved processing methods, and the application of expert knowledge. The manual provides separate language for the 1348 specific to the type of method utilized.

[More]

Boson, Massachusetts MassDevelopment reported that three UXO items were found by magnet fishers at two locations in the Nashua River on two separate occasions. A heavily corroded mortar shell and hand grenade were found July 24, about a half-mile south of the Hospital Road Bridge. Another corroded hand grenade was found Aug. 12 just off the south side of the Hospital Road Bridge.

MassDevelopment reportedly notified the U.S. Army, USEPA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the towns of Harvard, Shirley, Ayer, and Lancaster.

[More]

Article Source: http://Navy.mil

WASHINGTON (NNS)- Culminating over three years of negotiation, Department of the Navy leaders today signed an agreement to establish a disciplined process for the Commander, Joint Region Marianas (CJRM) to have the authority to implement prudent explosive safety principles on Guam. The agreement will have an immediate impact on billions of dollars in military construction activities being undertaken by all military services with missions on Guam, including the relocation of United States Marines from the Island of Okinawa, Japan.

The ceremony marks submission of the Guam Munitions Response Explosive Safety Submission to the Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity (NOSSA). To acknowledge this historic occasion, Mr. Dale Sisson, Executive Director of NOSSA, and Mr. Jim Balocki, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations, Energy and Facilities) signed a memorandum of agreement.

[More]

Washington, D.C. The Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board (DDESB) released Defense Explosives Safety Regulation (DESR) 6055.09, to replace DoD 6055.09-M, DoD Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards.

Changes to the old Volume 7, now titled UXO, Munitions Response, Waste Military Munitions, and MPPEH incorporates some interesting new requirements for DoD Components. Examples include:

• Notifying DDESB and the respective explosive safety offices of "repetitive explosives or munitions emergency responses to a discrete geographic area, where the circumstances surrounding the explosives or munitions emergency response are similar."
• Work "collaboratively with environmental regulators and safety officials toward resolving, in a mutually agreeable manner, any concerns with the planned disposition of UXO during a response action."
• Acknowledging that environmental regulators and safety officials "may challenge a DoD field expert's decision and seek to elevate their concerns to higher levels of authority for resolution."

  [More]

Washington, D.C. The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment (ASA IE&E) issued a memorandum that Army Commands make a concerted effort to reduce reliance on Open Burn (OB) as a method for disposal of explosives-contaminated waste and explosive wastes.

Definitions are provided for "explosives-contaminated wastes" (e.g, plastic, paper, cardboard, packaging that is found by a qualified individual to be contaminated with explosives) and "explosives waste" (e.g., out of spec products, limited quantities of production waste).

[More]

Washington, DC The USACE quietly and without coordination with industry released an update to EM 200-1-015, Technical Guidance For Military Munitions Response Actions. The changes to the Engineer Manual primarily include the addition of quality processes involving geophysical systems which "are required to provide defensible data that can support environmental decisions when characterizing munitions response sites and when making risk management decisions involving MEC." The changes also attempt to minimize performance deficiencies known to exist in products from analog geophysical methods such that they are not precluded from consideration in environmental risk management decisions.

The updated EM 200-1-015 dated October 30, 2018 can be downloaded from UXOInfo.com.

Washington, D.C. The USACE released an updated version of ER 385-1-95, Safety and Health Requirements for Operations and Activities Involving Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC). The revised Engineer Regulation (ER) dated 31 December 2014 supersedes the previous version dated March 30, 2007.

The new guidance, which can be downloaded from the UXOInfo.com's UXO Library, contains updated safety and health requirements and responsibilities for military munitions response actions and MEC related operations, including operations involving CWM.

[More]