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37 National Guard Gun Ranges Decommissioned by MARCOR Remediation
8/26/2004–Hunt Valley, MD–Outdated, unused, and contaminated gun ranges in 37 Pennsylvania Army National Guard armories are now safe and usable with the completion of a 16-month remediation project completed by MARCOR Remediation, Inc., Hunt Valley, MD.
MARCOR worked closely with a consulting/engineering firm under contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to decommission the ranges, most of which were contaminated with lead and asbestos-containing materials (ACM). Work included manual and vacuum extraction of lead bullet fragments; sand trap and backstop removal; HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system cleaning; asbestos-abatement; wet wiping; and HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuuming.
The Pennsylvania Army National Guard currently has more than 180 facilities throughout the state. At least 50 of these are armories dating back to the ‘40s. Many of the old armories contained basement-level firing ranges, some of which were used for a few years, while others were used more than 20 years.
Most of these ranges were closed in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. Analyses of the sand present in the range bullet traps indicated lead concentrations as high as 40%. Also, in the mid-‘90s, investigations for the presence of ACM showed that nine locations contained various types of ACM in the light fixtures’ heat shields, pipe insulation and fittings, window caulking, duct transition cloth, and ceiling tiles.
MARCOR's Downingtown, PA operation performed the remediation, following a site-specific work plan for each location, which ranged in size from 945 sq. ft. to 7,500 sq. ft. MARCOR worked closely with the consultant and the National Guard representative at each location to perform the work cost-effectively, with minimal disruption to facility operations.
Due to the potential for hazardous dust generation during the lead removal process, crews operated a negative air pressure system and used a fine spray to keep dust to minimum. Asbestos abatement was also performed within negative air containment. All solid wastes and decontaminated water were stored and disposed of as appropriate.
Third-party clearance sampling confirmed that all work sites met regulatory criteria.
MARCOR Remediation, Inc., an environmental contracting company founded in 1980 with headquarters in Hunt Valley, MD, performs a full range of services, which include mold remediation, industrial cleaning, asbestos and lead hazard abatement, building decontamination, plant/process decommissioning and demolition, soil and groundwater remediation, emergency spill response, disaster recovery, gun range remediation, and storage tank management. Clients include federal, state and local government agencies, industrial hygienists, environmental consultants, real estate development and property management firms, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT), the hospitality industry, educational institutions, and health care facilities. Each of the company’s 16 offices is staffed with the necessary mix of senior technical management, regulatory compliance experts, and experienced HAZMAT labor force. The company celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2005. For more information, go to www.marcor.com, send an e-mail to info@marcor.com, or call (800) 547-0128.
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