[CPEO-MEF] ITRC unveils UXO Basic Training course

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jennifer Roberts, coleader of the UXO Team, (907) 269-7553

ITRC unveils UXO Basic Training course

The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) in cooperation 
with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control 
(SC DHEC)premiered its UXO Basic Training class on March 26 in 
Charleston, South Carolina. A first of its kind, two-day classroom 
training course, the training was jointly developed by representatives 
from the military services, states, industry, and citizen stakeholders. 
The training focus is on educating people working on or concerned about 
identifying, investigating, and cleaning up sites contaminated with 
military explosive munitions, which may pose a danger to the public.

Military munitions and associated unexploded ordnance (UXO) is a 
recently identified problem of significant concern. Unlike typical 
chemical contaminants, which may take decades before impacting human 
health, exposure to UXO presents a more immediate safety threat. In the 
United States alone, there could be as many as 15 million acres impacted 
by 2,000 or more UXO sites. UXO Basic Training promises to enhance the 
investigation and effective responses to UXO-contaminated sites located 
in every state of the union.

"This training course is an important first step in developing a common 
framework of understanding for affected parties to address UXO 
contamination where and when it is identified. The Navy is pleased to 
participate in this effort to build an atmosphere of cooperation and 
partnership among all stakeholders," said Cindy Turlington of the Office 
of the Chief of Naval Operations.

"In the last several years, responding to military munitions and UXO has 
become a major issue for state cleanup programs. This ITRC training is 
the first step to creating a uniform level of knowledge for state 
regulators, community stakeholders, and local government agencies," said 
Jennifer Roberts, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

"Community stakeholders play a vital role in the cleanup of military
contamination. ITRC's education on UXO identification, remediation, and 
safety will allow them to participate much more effectively," said 
Theodore Henry, Aberdeen Proving Ground Community Restoration Advisory 
Board member.

The individuals and groups that joined to develop the UXO Basic Training 
were convened as a technical team of ITRC. ITRC is a state-led coalition 
of regulators, industry experts, academia, stakeholders, and federal 
partners that is bringing about a culture change in environmental 
decision making through dialogue, consensus, and concurrence. ITRC's 
Basic Training is tentatively scheduled for May, July, and December. For 
more information, please see the ITRC Web site at www.itrcweb.org 
<http://www.itrcweb.org>.

The ITRC Board of Directors is cochaired by Brian C. Griffin
(bcgriffin@owrb.state.ok.us), Oklahoma's
Secretary of Environment, and G. Ken Taylor (taylorgk@dhec.state.sc.us), 
director of the Hydrogeology
Division of South Carolina's Bureau of Land and Waste Management.  

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