Edwards begins second phase of site evaluation for non-operational ranges

  • Published
  • By Gary Hatch
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
During the coming weeks, Edwards will be using a low-flying civilian helicopter as part of the second phase of its site evaluation for the areas on base identified as non-operational ranges -- the occupied areas of the base and their immediate surroundings. 

This action is part of the base's effort to comply with the Air Force's Military Munitions Response Program and is a cooperative effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

The helicopter will make passes as low as five feet off the ground to complete a geophysical magnetometer survey. These low passes will be made only over areas of undeveloped desert, and the helicopter will stay well away from buildings and power lines. 

The helicopter, a Hughes 500D model, is fitted with a large boom that looks like a telephone pole mounted horizontally out in front. The boom contains an array of magnetometers that look for metal or other anomalies on and under the earth's surface. 

"Basically we are clearing the areas of the base that won't be used for any type of munitions either now or in the future," said Paul Schiff, base MMRP program manager. 

"Technically, the whole base could be used as a range if that were ever needed by the Air Force," Mr. Schiff said. "We are simply identifying the areas on base we know will not be used as part of a range and clearing them, thereby ensuring they are safe." 

The MMRP is the process the Air Force follows to clear areas where military munitions historically may have been used. Its goal is to protect human health and the environment by ensuring those areas are safe for current and anticipated future uses. 

Many areas in the high desert involved munitions use that predates the base's existence, and the historic record of that use is incomplete. 

"Edwards, as we know it today, has gone through many phases of military use dating back to the 1930s and 40s," Mr. Schiff said. "The Air Force has adopted a comprehensive procedure for closing parts of the base that will not be used as a range, and we are following that procedure." 

The helicopter-mounted magnetometry technology used in the investigation may sound familiar to long-time base residents and workers. Edwards partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratories to pioneer the use of this technology a decade ago. At that time the technology was used to successfully locate abandoned landfills and burial pits on the range.

Other actions scheduled to be completed in Phase II include ground-based geophysics surveys, visual reconnaissance surveys and sampling of the soil for munitions constituents. 

In the areas where terrain is too rough, or buildings or power lines prohibit safe flying, ground-based geophysical surveys will be conducted on foot or on all-terrain vehicles by technicians. 

Teams of unexploded ordnance specialists will walk or ride selected portions of the areas to search for any sign of munitions. These teams will also provide boots on the ground to identify objects found during the helicopter survey. 

The team is also evaluating a large buffer zone extending into areas adjacent to the base around historic munitions sites near base borders. The full range of site investigation procedures will be completed in those areas as well. 

Areas of suspected munitions use not on or adjacent to the base fall under the Army Corps of Engineers for investigation. 

The team hopes to complete the helicopter-based evaluation by the end of June, but accommodations to mission priorities at Edwards could push the completion date into July. The ground-based parts of the evaluation will run into the fall.