JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District has resumed work at the Pinecastle Jeep Range Formerly Used Defense Site, Orlando, Fla.
The Department of Defense used the site during World War II for live-fire military training and demonstrations. Since 2008, the Corps of Engineers has conducted cleanup actions to remove military munitions and munitions debris resulting from the training and demonstrations conducted at the site.
The Army signed the final decision documents for three of the four areas known or suspected to contain military munitions, such as unexploded ordnance, earlier this year. Of these, two of the areas required no further active remedial action. At the third, known as the Demonstration Range North, which includes Odyssey Middle School and the Tivoli Gardens and Lee Vista Square communities, additional cleanup is required.
The Army currently is reviewing a decision document for the fourth area, which includes a portion of the undeveloped private property known as Mockingbird, which is inaccessible to the public. This document will outline additional cleanup actions required, if any.
USACE contractors will excavate, evaluate and dispose of the military munitions and munitions debris recovered from the Demonstration Range North site that were not recovered during previous munitions response actions:
• Tivoli Gardens: USACE previously investigated this area, with the exception of 12 parcels for which it was unable to receive permission to access properties that were in foreclosure. USACE had removed munitions and munitions debris from Tivoli Gardens during earlier work, primarily in the southern portion near the wetlands.
• Lee Vista Square: USACE still needs to investigate 129 residential lots. During earlier investigations, no munitions were recovered from anywhere within Lee Vista Square. However, munitions debris was recovered from some of the common areas.
• Odyssey Middle School: USACE previously investigated the school property to recover and remove military munitions that posed a potential imminent danger. The additional work USACE will conduct this summer includes removing the athletic track to investigate the area underneath it and further investigate other areas where buried military munitions and munitions debris were previously removed. Once completed, USACE will fully restore the track. USACE will also investigate a portion of the wetland area between the school and the southwest portion of Tivoli Gardens.
Upon completion of these cleanup efforts, USACE will prepare final reports and provide them for public review and comment. Once all cleanup actions are completed at these sites, USACE will conduct five-year reviews, if required, to ensure that public health and safety is maintained.
For further information, please e-mail FUDS.Florida@usace.army.mil or call 866.279.4880. To review documents about the Pinecastle Jeep Range Formerly Used Defense Site, please visit the Orlando Public Library Southeast Branch, 5575 S. Semoran Boulevard, Orlando, Fla.
Munitions may be dangerous and are not always easily recognizable. If you encounter potential munitions, follow the 3Rs of explosives safety: Recognize what you have encountered may be munitions, and munitions are dangerous. Retreat from the area without touching or moving the object. Report what you saw and where you saw it to local law enforcement immediately by dialing 9-1-1.
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