Issue:
SA‐3
AZARNG Site:
Florence
Military
Reservation
Unexploded ordnance may exist outside the
Florence Military Reservation Impact Area.
There are unexploded ordnances within the
impact area at Florence Military Reservation. As
a result of historic activity at Florence Military
Reservation, some unexploded ordnance has also
been found outside the impact area, including the
area around Florence Military Reservation. These
are instances of historic activity, and not the
current operations that occur there.
Compatibility Assessment
There have been operational firing ranges at the location that is today Florence Military
Reservation dating back to its establishment as a military training site in 1912. Today, all
weapons are fired into a designated impact area and are contained within this area that
provides a buffer to land adjacent to FMR. However, this impact area did not exist in the
early days of the installation, so munitions were fired in other areas as well. A site survey
conducted by the 363rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Detachment identified
several unexploded ordnance (UXO) within and immediately west of the installation
impact area. Unexploded ordnance has also been found outside of the impact area in the
land leased to FMR from ASLD as part of the Special Land Use Permit.
DoD Directive 4715.11 Section 5.4.6 provides guidance for the management of
operations ranges with UXO. It states that access controls should be established,
including warning signs, fencing, and roving patrols; as well as appropriate explosives
training to those with access to the operational ranges.
The land on which the impact area is located is owned or managed by three different
entities, the DoD, ASLD, and BLM. 1,306 acres are part of a commercial lease through
ASLD that currently valid through 2023, at which time it can be renewed for an additional
10 years. An additional 840 acres are part of a lease with BLM which, as of 2018, is in the
process of being renewed.
There would be a safety concern related to UXO in the impact area and northern portion
of the installation should the leases with ASLD or BLM be terminated or expire. In the
event that the Arizona State Trust land is sold for development in the future, the land
would have to be surveyed for UXO and subsequently go through the process of
environmental restoration. This survey and any necessary mitigation would be
completed by the DoD, but would be dependent upon the availability of money being
budgeted to complete it. The DoD and respective military services hold the primary
responsibility when it comes to environmental restoration of installations. Unlike air and
water pollution, there are no accepted standards for UXO cleanups.
5-128
Compatibility Assessment