The First Step is a Site Inspection
MCB Camp Lejeune is leading the investigation, working in partnership with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and in consultation with private property owners and all other interested parties. A munitions site investigation follows the same basic steps as an investigation of environmental sites under the national “Superfund” program. It begins with a Preliminary Assessment and Site Inspection, which sets the stage for further action. Data is gathered and evaluated to determine if immediate action or more detailed investigation is needed, or if all or part of the site can be eliminated from further investigation. The following activities are expected to begin in fall 2009. MCB Camp Lejeune is preparing a Work Plan describing these actions in more detail, which will be made available to the public in the Information Repositories.
• Aerial Magnetometer Survey: A helicopter will be flown over the entire affected area. The resulting data will identify areas and patterns of metallic debris, which could contain munitions-related material (or other unrelated metallic objects).
• Focused Digital Geophysical Mapping (DGM): Accessible areas of dry land will be investigated using magnetometers. The resulting data will identify specific locations, if any, that might contain buried munitionsrelated items.
• Environmental Sampling: Samples will be collected from:
— Soil (both on and below the surface) and groundwater, in dry land areas.
— Surface water and sediment in accessible portions of the creeks and salt marshes, in areas where the aerial survey reveals high densities of metallic objects.
The resulting data will identify any areas of potential
contamination from munitions-related chemicals.
The information gathered by these investigations will be used to determine whether or not additional actions are necessary to ensure public safety and protection of the environment.
Possible Future Steps
Depending on the results of the Site Inspection, future phases of the investigation could include:
• Taking actions to ensure public safety if any hazard is discovered, while the investigation continues; for example, posting warning signs and working with local officials
• Identifying and exploring “magnetic anomalies” that might be buried munitions and explosives of concern and might need to be removed to protect the public and the environment (an “intrusive investigation”)
• An underwater investigation of the former surface danger zone in Bear Inlet
