Where is radford army ammunition plant

Construction continued until , giving the Radford Army Ammunition Plant a new state of the art facility for manufacturing the cast propellants and charges needed for missiles and rockets.

The start of hostilities in Vietnam again saw an increased need for production at the Redford Army Ammunition Plant. Production of multiple types of propellant and charges continued at full capacity from until the end of the Vietnam War Conflict in The close of hostilities in Southeast Asia greatly reduced the need for production at the base and manufacturing was cut deeply as were the number of employees.

In the following decades the Radford Army Ammunition Plant undertook several projects of planned improvements to meet changing Army and Department of Defense standards. The primary mission of the Redford Army Ammunition Plant is to provide and store energetics, munitions and propellants for the United States Army.

The plant produces munitions and propellants ranging from those for the individual soldiers weapons system up to tank, field artillery, air defense, missile and Navy weapons systems. The Radford Army Ammunition Plant and New River Storage Unit together consist of 1, buildings with a total storage capacity of 61, square meters , square feet. The facility has reinforced igloos for storage of live munitions and their components.

In addition to producing Army munitions, the Redford Army Ammunition Plant is home to several tenants of similar industry. The secure rural location provides the perfect setting for development and production of commercial explosives, pyrotechnics and weapons systems.

The base also allows for storage of commercial equipment by local and government businesses. Tenants of the base include;. Further information on visiting the base can be found by contacting the public affairs office or visiting Visitor Information.

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A warning siren is also sounded, as well as the following announcement:. The burning ground of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant is about to begin burning operations. Evacuate the river area immediately. If anyone is seen in the burning area, they are first given a verbal warning. Burning will not commence until the area is clear, and waste is ignited only when the operators are sure that no one is on the river or surrounding shoreline.

The Radford facility uses tile drains to prevent contaminants from entering the New River via storm water runoff.

As part of its permit, the RAAP maintains a groundwater compliance network of wells around the open burning ground OBG and monitors the groundwater in the uppermost aquifer.

The network currently consists of two up gradient wells and five down gradient wells. The facility proposed to add one down gradient well and discontinue sampling of one up gradient well these changes to the compliance network constituted the Class 2 permit modification that was approved by DEQ on June 18, Groundwater samples taken from these wells twice a year are analyzed and compared or screened against Groundwater Protection Standards GPS to identify the presence of hazardous waste derived constituents, to verify that the pollution plume is not expanding down gradient, laterally or vertically and to verify that there are no unacceptable releases into down gradient areas, such as the New River.

How does the public know that the Radford plant is conforming to the regulations that govern burning operations? To ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, DEQ carefully reviews facility records and formally inspects OBG operations at least once per year.

An inspection often occurs after burning pans have been loaded with waste, but before burning, allowing DEQ to ensure that waste propellants conform to the permitted requirements. DEQ periodically inspects pans during or after a burn under safe conditions. The facility is required to keep operational records detailing the composition of the materials that are burned. DEQ reviews the records to ensure compliance with the allowable amounts.

The calculations for each pollutant and each burn event are reviewed to ensure that the pollutants are within the permitted concentration limits. What is the standard for perchlorate in groundwater at the open burning ground?

As of September perchlorate results are screened against the groundwater protection standard GPS of 26 micrograms per liter or parts per billion, ppb. This standard is based on the published EPA risk-based screening level. The approved permit requires RAAP to screen perchlorate against the more stringent risk-based level of 15 ppb. When a facility exceeds a groundwater protection standard, the facility enters into a corrective action program to implement a selected remedy and monitor the nature and extent of the contamination.

Monitored natural attenuation -- which means the contaminant is allowed to break down and decrease naturally — is allowed when pollution concentrations are low, appropriate subsurface conditions exist, the contaminant concentrations are trending downward, and the expected period of time for contaminant concentrations to fall below the groundwater protection standard is within a reasonable timeframe.

The corrective action program at the open burning ground must demonstrate compliance with the groundwater protection standard for three consecutive years before termination of the program can be requested. Any existing or new health advisory or maximum contaminant levels will be considered in future decision-making regarding the groundwater program at the open burning ground. The open burning ground is not a source of drinking water, so a groundwater protection standard is established.

Groundwater protection standards are based on U. Environmental Protection Agency-approved risk-based screening levels for tap water and maximum contaminant levels when available. These standards are intended to ensure that contaminated groundwater does not present a risk to human health.

A maximum contaminant level is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the maximum contaminant level goals as feasible using the best available treatment technology. On Nov. These new incinerator units are anticipated to be able to treat the majority of the wastes currently being treated at the OBG. The Class 3 modification to the EWI permit will allow the facility to begin construction of the new thermal treatment units.

However, the NSR permit application was put on hold due to uncertainty over proceeding with construction with the current total bid the Army received. The Army Corps of Engineers is working to develop alternate bids for construction which may or may not incorporate all new thermal treatment units. If the units included in the final bid are significantly different from what has already been permitted another Class 3 modification application will need to be submitted to DEQ for evaluation.

On May 23, , a modification was approved to clarify how RAAP determines a waste to be reactive and laboratory procedures. On May 10, a Class 1 modification request to the current Subpart X permit for the OBG was submitted to incorporate language into the waste analysis plan to clarify how the RAAP facility determines a waste to be reactive as well as several modifications to update the referenced laboratory procedures associated with waste analysis.

The modification was approved on May 23, On Aug. The Class 1 modification to the current Subpart O was submitted on May 3, to incorporate language detailing the process of sawing motor grains and stick propellants to allow for treatment in the EWI and diverting the wastes from being treated at the OBG.

The modification was approved on Aug. Radford has submitted a Class 1 Modification request to adjust the detection levels currently included in the Post-Closure Care permit for Hazardous Waste Management Units 5 and 16 to address changes in the methodology used by laboratories to calculate the detection limits. DEQ has provided comments on the modification request and the Radford facility is revising the request per the comments for resubmission. Final Corrective Action Renewal Permit.

Post-Closure Care Permit. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. Draft Hazardous Waste Renewal Permit DEQ will be accepting public comments on a draft renewal permit to process hazardous waste by incineration and storage in tanks. Overview of Regulatory Programs. Water Protection The Clean Water Act established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which limits the amounts of pollutant discharges that enter streams, rivers and bays.

Multi-media Restoration The Army's Installation Action Plan , is a comprehensive, multiyear, coordinated strategy to identify, investigate and clean up contamination resulting from past operations at the plant.

Open Burning Ground. How does the open burning ground work?