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Input Sought on Use of Camp Edwards Sites for Training

Release Date: 05/03/2010
Contact Information: Paula Ballentine, 617-918-1027

(Camp Edwards—Mass.) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking input on an environmental review of 16 Camp Edwards sites scheduled for use in a Massachusetts National Guard Training exercise next month. The EPA is overseeing an ongoing cleanup of sites within the Camp Edwards Training Area.

During June 2010, the Guard plans to conduct a major training exercise at Camp Edwards for Guard units scheduled to deploy overseas. Approximately 1,900 soldiers, many of whom are scheduled to leave for combat within 60 to 90 days of completing the exercise, will participate in the event. This training will allow these soldiers to meet premobilization requirements at a home station or at a regional training center, minimizing time away from home and jobs.

The Exportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) Site Review looks at previous environmental investigations and data from locations the Guard selected for these training activities. The XCTC Site Review was completed to ensure that the training would not interfere with ongoing cleanup efforts. The XCTC report documents the results of that site review.

The XCTC sites will include sites that will be used for simulated villages or urban clusters consisting of temporary portable fiberglass housing units, sites that will be used to stage trailer-mounted antenna towers for communications and sites that will be used as helicopter landing zones. All of the portable housing units will be removed at the end of the exercise.

The XCTC Site Review Report and EPA’s proposed approval for the use of these sites for the XCTC exercise are available for review on the IAGWSP Web site: groundwaterprogram.army.mil. Comments can be submitted on the site or to EPA through May 17, 2010.

Comments also can be submitted by mail to Jeanethe Falvey, EPA, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114, by fax to 617-918-0020 or by email to [email protected].

Comments regarding these documents will be considered before EPA issues a final decision regarding the Guard’s use of these sites during the XCTC exercise.

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