Portland Air Guard Base‏ Range to Receive Environmental Assessment

A final Qualitative Assessment Report will be prepared and delivered to the Portland Air Guard, Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment, as well as the Air National Guard Headquarters in early 2009.

Image of range provided by the Oregon National Guard

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Weston Solutions, Inc. will be conducting an environmental assessment of the Small Arms Range and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Proficiency Unit at the Portland Air National Guard Base, located at the Portland International Airport in Multnomah County, Oregon.

Oregon Guard officials with the 142nd Fighter Wing say the assessment is part of a Department of Defense- wide initiative to determine the potential for munitions constituents to migrate off military installations towards human receptors.

DOD Directive 4715.11 requires all DOD components to assess the potential for munitions migration at every operational range (air-to-ground ranges, small arms ranges, grenade ranges, machine gun ranges, EOD units, etc.).

Weston has been contracted by the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment to perform these tasks at various U.S. Air Force installations. Over the past five years, WESTON has performed approximately 25 assessments at USAF installations across the country. Currently, Wseston is focusing on Air National Guard facilities, including the Portland ANGB.

The Portland ANGB has two operational ranges, the small arms range and the EOD proficiency unit. Weston will be reviewing activities at the two operational ranges, environmental migration pathways, and potential human receptors to determine if there is a complete pathway between a munitions source and a human receptor.

Due to the training nature of both operational ranges, the likelihood of a complete pathway between a munitions source and a human receptor is low. If a complete pathway is identified, additional data may be collected (environmental samples) to determine if munitions constituent migration is actually occurring.

A final Qualitative Assessment Report will be prepared and delivered to the Portland Air Guard, Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment, as well as the Air National Guard Headquarters in early 2009.