IMAPCT TUNNELS

[PikeR@smtp.hnd.usace.army.mil]

Mr. Siegel, I am a Quality Assurance Specialist (Ammunition
Surveillance) (QASAS) working with the Corps of Engineers,
Ordnance and Explosives Team at the U.S. Army Engineering
and Support Center, Huntsville, Alabama, and I just returned
from a Public Availability Meeting for the former Benicia Arsenal. 
The tunnels that you described were two earth covered concrete
tunnels side by side with firing positions in front and a hillside
firing butt behind. The tunnels were not dug into the sides of the
hills. These tunnels were used to test 155mm Howitzer barrels
using inert concrete filled projectiles. The area surrounding the
tunnel area was also used for demolition/demilitarization of
various rounds of ammunition so it has the potential of live
ammunition. A DERP-FUDS ordnance and explosives project is
underway at present; in the Removal Design phase. I hope this
clarifies matters.

>>> Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org> 12/15/97
10:14pm >>>
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At the Benecia Arsenal, northeast of San Francisco, at least
some of the munitions contamination appears to come from a
type of military impact range that I haven't seen elsewhere.
Artillery was fired into tunnels, dug into the sides of hills, limiting
the spread of problems but conceivably increasing their
concentration.

Has anyone seen such a range elsewhere?

Lenny Siegel
Director, SFSU CAREER/PRO (and Pacific Studies Center) c/o
PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/968-1126 lsiegel@igc.org