Gainesville Daily Register

Local News

May 20, 2009

Corps of Engineers to oversee Camp Howze remedial investigation

Editor’s note: Part II of II



The Camp Howze update at the public meeting for landowners of property of the former Camp Howze and citizens and conducted by the Corps of Engineers was at the Gainesville Civic Center Monday night, May 18, at 6 p.m.

The public received information about the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study to take place at the former Camp Howze, including the objectives, approach and equipment to be used to determine if munition hazards remain at the site. The field work will start this June.

Parsons Corporation is the contractor hired by the Corp of Engineers to oversee the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study.

Parsons Project Manager Kimberly Vaugh gave an overview powerpoint presentation on the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. A summary of the powerpoint presentation follows.

The focus of the Remedial Investigation starting in June is on munitions and explosives of concern (MEC), munitions debris (MD) and munitions constituents (MC)

The MEC investigation is for intact military munitions and the investigation will include instrument-aided reconnaissance, digital geophysical mapping (DGM) and intrusive anomaly investigation.

Instrument-aided reconnaissance will include walking the site with metal detectors to locate clusters of metal objects.

Geophysical mapping will include using metal detectors to look for “anomalies”, record precise locations and to evaluate and select for subsequent excavation.

Excavation of anomalies will include primarily using hand tools and will establish exclusion zones based on known or suspected munitions. If necessary, there will be possible evacuation. Once completed, holes will be backfilled and restored. This will not be 100 percent clearance.

The MD investigation is to investigate remnants of munitions that are not hazardous.

The MC investigation will start with no current data available. The investigation will include conducting soil and groundwater sampling to establish the presence or absence of munitions constituents. Samples for analysis will be surface soil and groundwater from existing wells. The investigation will only be looking for chemicals associated with munitions.

Metals related to munitions include barium, chromium, copper, lead, strontium and zinc (soil only). Percholate is related to groundwater only.

If significant MC is present, more samplings may need to be conducted. If no MC is present, no further sampling will be required.

To complete the Remedial Investigation, property owners must give permission for the project team to enter and investigate. One-hundred-seventy right-of-entry requests were mailed to landowners of the former Camp Howze.

The Remedial Investigation is not a removal action, the objectives are to research, identify and prioritize the work that still needs to be done in the future.

After the Remedial Investigation, the project team will conduct a Feasibility Study to start in June of 2010. The purpose of the Feasibility Study will be to identify potential remedies and select the best remedy.

The public comment period is scheduled for November of 2010 when recommendations for review of the proposed plan are brought to the public in a public meeting.

In December of 2010, the decision will be formalized.

The project members from the Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District are Stephen Seint, Ed Rivera, Randy Cephus and Eric Kirwan. Project members from the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville are Ralph Campbell and Teresa Carpenter. Project members from Parsons Corporation are Kimberly Vaughn, Neil Feist and Steve Rembish.

For more information about the former Camp Howze investigation go to http://gis.parsons.com/howze/. For more information about Fort Worth District’s activities go to http://www.swf.usace.army.mil/.

Text Only
Local News
  • Tallying continues in Gainesville hospital board election

    The tallying continues for administrators of the May 12 Gainesville
    Hospital District election — who have scheduled a recount for 2:30
    p.m. today in the North Texas Medical Center boardroom.
     

    May 23, 2012

  • GISD teaching Hirings and kind words fill GISD board meeting

    Hirings and commendations highlighted Monday’s regular Gainesville ISD
    Board of Trustees meeting.
     

    May 23, 2012 1 Photo

  • Additional Cooke County sentencings released

    Jeremiah Johnson Jarvis, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly
    weapon, was sentenced to seven years probation and fined $1,500, plus
    $253 in court costs.

    May 22, 2012

  • Letter carriers collect tons of food for VISTO

    A Cooke County benefit organization currently has another several
    thousand pounds of food to spread among families in need, thanks to
    collection efforts by the Gainesville Post Office.

    May 22, 2012

  • auxiliary 'Pink ladies' now seeing red at medical center

    For the first time in their history, North Texas Medical Center
    Auxiliary members are wearing red.

    May 22, 2012 1 Photo

  • Eclipse Eclipse over Lake Ray Roberts

    Sunday evening’s partial annular eclipse of the sun is shown here as
    seen from the Lake Ray Roberts shore during sunset.

    May 22, 2012 1 Photo

  • solar-eclipse.jpg VIDEO: 'Ring of fire' solar eclipse

     

    The solar eclipse that took place Sunday evening was an annular eclipse, one in which the moon blocks almost all of the sun. Some of the best viewing was in Asia, as with this video filmed in Japan. 

    May 22, 2012 1 Photo

  • Robbery Pharmacy robbed

    Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a report of
    aggravated robbery at Americare Pharmacy at 217 N. Weaver St. shortly
    before noon Friday and arrested suspect Jeremy Kyle Lackey, 30,
    shortly later.

    May 21, 2012 1 Photo

  • mud1 Mud run raise money for rare disease

    Cooke County mother Wendi Tipps got her 30th birthday wish
    Saturday when over 600 participants turned out for “M-o-o-ving Thru’
    The Mud With Landon” at Circle N Family Dairy near Lindsay.

    May 21, 2012 2 Photos

  • pix Hospital names top empolyees

    North Texas Medical Center in Gainesville honored its Director and
    Employee of the Year during the organization’s annual Employee
    Recognition Banquet May 15.

    May 21, 2012 2 Photos

Featured Ads
Poll

Who do you think will win the Republican nomination for President?

Mitt Romney
Rick Perry
Michele Bachmann
Ron Paul
Newt Gingrich
Rick Santorum
Jon Huntsman
     View Results
Facebook
Twitter Feed
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter
AP Video
NYPD: Person Implicated in Etan Patz Death Raw Video: Fire on Nuke-powered Sub in Maine Illegal Burn Suspected in Nevada Fire Obama: 'We've Got More Work to Do' Astrologers Predict Outcome of Presidential Race Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK FAMU Bandmates: Victim Volunteered to Be Hazed Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released Raw Video: Tornado Appears During Wedding Raw Video: Passed Out Man Robbed Inquiry Hears Wider Secret Service Misbehavior HP to Cut 27,000 Jobs, Save Up to $3.5B
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com