US EPA

3794231 

Technical Report 

Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 461: Joint Test Assembly Sites Tonopah Test Range, Nevada 

Smith, JL 

1999 

NTIS/02931759_a 

GRA and I 

GRA and I 

This report addresses the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 461, Joint Test Assembly (JTA) Sites identified in Appendix III of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO). Closure was completed following the approved Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Work Plan. The site is located at the Tonopah Test Range in south central Nevada. CAU 461 consists of three Corrective Action Sites (CASS): CAS Number (No.) TTR-001 (1987 W79 JTA), CAS No. TA-52-003-0960 (Depleted Uranium (DU) Artillery Round No. 2), and CAS No. TA-52- 002-TAML (DU Impact Site). The 1987 W79 JTA was believed to be the impact site of a failed artillery round test package containing DU and high explosives (HE). Based on review of historical documentation two potential sites were identified. The two sites were designated as DU Round 1A and lB. DU Artillery Round No. 2 was a detonated, buried W79 20-centimeter (cm) (8-inch) diameter DU artillery round located under two witness bars. The DU Impact Site is an area 55 meters (m) by 50 meters (m) (180 feet by 160 feet) of disturbed ground containing metal fragments and DU impacted soil from a failed weapons test. Historical documentation and fragment examination suggest that during the 1960s, a 150-cm (60-in) diameter weapons test unit incurred parachute failure, impacted, and released DU.