NGB Seeking Public’s Help In Environmental Clean Up Efforts

Utica, NY (WIBX) - This summer the National Guard Bureau will conduct site inspections of all the small arms ranges across New York State to address human health, safety, and environmental concerns. Public Affairs Specialist for the New York Army National Guard, Master Sergeant Corine Lombardo said the aim is to ensure that there are no lead contaminants in the ground from the Army's use of the area.

"We're looking at historical documentation, old news articles and photos of any community members who may have old picture of these ranges. During the summer time frame the Army Corps of Engineers will come back out and will actually do the  site inspections to determine what may or may not still be in those particular areas," Lombardo said.

She says inspectors will be looking at old bullet casings and take soil samples to check for any lead contamination. The Oneida Small Arms Range, which has not been in use since 1965, is also on the list of sites to be inspected, and Lombargo is asking anyone with old maps or photographs of the site, to contact the National Guard to help them in their environmental clean up effort.

The funding to conduct the survey and inspection of all 23 sites across the state is through the Department of Defense, Military Munition Response Program. Anyone who has documents, records or photographs of the range, or photos of family members taken during training operations on any of the 23 ranges, are encouraged to contact Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo at corine.lombardo@us.army.mil or (518) 786-4579.

Officials say the inspection process consists of the following stages:

• A preliminary assessment to identify locations
• Research historical records, land usage and past incident(s) in the area, which was completed in 2008
• Site inspections which will begin in summer 2011, to collect additional information, data and samples necessary to determine if following actions are warranted at a site