Briefing for Orange County Board of County Commissioners

Briefing for Orange County Board of County Commissioners February 24, 2009 ORLANDO, FLORIDA ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD

Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) in Orlando • Orlando Army Air Base (Orlando Executive Airport) • Orlando Range and Chemical Yard (ORCY) • Pinecastle Jeep Range (PJR) • Pinecastle Army Air Field (Orlando International Airport) ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 2

ORCY - History WWII • 1942 -46: Government leased 2, 111 acres of land – Original rifle range – Expanded to include a buffer around a chemical storage yard in center of site ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 3

ORCY - History WWII • Chemical Warfare and Ordnance Demonstration – Incendiaries – Smokes – Spray Tanks and Chemical Bombs (Smoke and Molasses) – Small Arms, Rockets, Rifle Grenades • Mustard in Decontamination Exercises • DDT (Pesticide) ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 4

ORCY – Demonstration Range ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 5

ORCY - Later History • February 1950 – Area certified clear of all dangerous and/or explosive materials and recommended that land be used for any purpose • 1950 s-60 s – Site development • 2007 August – FUDS program recommended Site Inspection to include photo analysis and sampling ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 6

Current Plan – Site Inspection • Investigate where chemicals were stored and weapons used • Sample soil and water • Check for buried munitions • Field work starting late February 2009 ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 7

Location of Investigations • Northwest of the intersection of Curry Ford Road and Goldenrod Road (State Hwy 551) • Capehart Park area • West of State Hwy. 551 (Goldenrod Road), north and south of State Hwy. 408 ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 8

What to Expect • Workers will: – Take soil/groundwater samples – Use a metal detector to look for buried metal – Dig in some areas • Impacted residents will receive notice prior to work starting • Potential for some residents to leave homes during the day ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 9

What to Expect • Periodic public meetings as needed including when Site Inspection is completed to present findings • Information is available on the Corps website and at Information Repository ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 10

Public Concerns • Health Concerns from Possible Contamination • Being Displaced for Field Work Safety Zones • Adequate Coordination with Emergency Responders ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 11

Protect yourself with the Three Rs of Explosives Safety • Recognize – the item you found may be dangerous. • Retreat – leave the item where you found it and leave the area. • Report – Call 911 and report what you found. The local police will know what to do. ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 12

For More Information U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Web Site: www. saj. usace. army. mil Click on ORCY link from home page Contact: Randy Curtis 904 -232 -1804 Randal. S. Curtis@usace. army. mil Call Toll Free: 1 -800 -291 -9413 ORLANDO RANGE & CHEMICAL YARD 13