U.S. Army to dispose AN-M66A2 WWII 2,000 pound general purpose bomb

Published May 18, 2015

FORT WORTH, Texas- The New Mexico Environment Department – Hazardous Waste Bureau has granted emergency authorization for the disposal of an AN-M66A2 2,000 lb general purpose bomb, discovered during cleanup activities of the Hazardous Waste Management Unit at Fort Wingate Depot Activity.  Cleanup activities have been ongoing at FWDA since 2005 under a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit  NM6213820974 issued by NMED.

The AN-M66A2, which contains 1,179 pounds of the explosive Tritonal (80 percent TNT and 20 percent aluminum powder), will be disposed of by controlled detonation.  The disposal will occur within an Army-owned parcel at FWDA.  Military-trained Unexploded Ordnance Technicians will handle the bomb and complete the disposal process.  Approved engineering controls will be employed to reduce the blast and fragmentation radius from the detonation.  Barricades will be placed at access points at a distance of at least 1,319 feet from the disposal area and no unauthorized persons will be allowed entry.  The public will likely notice noise (i.e., explosion) and dust/smoke during the disposal process. 

NMED has determined that this authorization is necessary to safely dispose of the bomb (a form of hazardous waste) in order to prevent or mitigate an emergency.  The emergency authorization was issued because the RCRA permit does not allow for disposal of more than 200 pounds of explosive waste at once.

The detonation is planned for May 20, 2015.  Alternate date for the detonation is  May 21.  For additional information about the emergency authorization and disposal, please contact: Dennis “DJ” Myers, USACE Fort Worth District, FWDA Project Manager,  819 Taylor Street,  Fort Worth, Texas 76102,  (817) 609-5014 or  Mark Patterson, FWDA BRAC Environmental Coordinator, Ravenna Army Ammunition Plant Building 1037, Ravenna, Ohio 44266,  (330) 358-7312.

 

-30-

 

About the Fort Worth District: The Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was established in 1950. The District is responsible for water resources development in two-thirds of Texas, and design and construction at military installations in Texas and parts of Louisiana and New Mexico.  Visit the Fort Worth District Web site at: www.swf.usace.army.mil and SWF Face book at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Worth-District-US-Army-Corps-of-Engineers/188083711219308
Contact
Clay Church
817-886-1314
clayton.a.church@usace.army.mil

Release no. 15-026