Initial Evaluation for Assessing Military Training and Testing Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
RC-1048
Objective
The increased public and scientific concerns regarding the environmental effects of military training and testing activities on land, air, and water resources under Department of Defense (DoD) control come at the same time that the resources available to examine these risks are declining.
The goals of this project were to (1) identify methodological approaches, procedures, and data requirements as well as existing data sources and (2) to quantitatively assess the military training and testing impacts on natural and cultural resources in all different types of environments.
Technical Approach
A framework was developed to incorporate physical, chemical, and biological stressors (including noise) and direct and indirect effects and to integrate risk to natural resources with risk to mission. A four-step process was used to develop the first-level conceptual framework. The later iterations were devoted to development of a secondlevel implementation framework component for each of a series of generic types of hazards associated with training and testing. Examples included aircraft overflights, use of ocean ranges, and weapons firing on military lands. As each component was developed, it was linked into the overall assessment of risk. The framework is compatible with the data management systems and environmental models used by the DoD.
Results
This was a one-year study during which a framework was developed. This framework establishes a new, risk-based approach to natural and cultural resources management on military installations. This project was completed in FY 1996.
Benefits
This work provides a guide for the collection of valid, quantitative data to provide assessments of the impacts of military activities on natural and cultural resources. The guide is intended to be accepted by regulatory agencies. The framework, in turn, served as the foundation for SERDP project RC-1054: Demonstration of a Risk Assessment Framework for Natural Resources on Military Training and Testing Lands to fully develop a risk management paradigm.
Symposium & Workshop
FY 2013 New Start Project Selections
Points of Contact
Principal Investigator
Dr. Keturah Reinbold
USA CERL
Phone: 800-872-2375
Fax: 217-373-7222
Program Manager
Resource Conservation and Climate Change
SERDP and ESTCP
Document Types
- Fact Sheet - Brief project summary with links to related documents and points of contact.
- Final Report - Comprehensive report for every completed SERDP and ESTCP project that contains all technical results.
- Cost & Performance Report - Overview of ESTCP demonstration activities, results, and conclusions, standardized to facilitate implementation decisions.
- Technical Report - Additional interim reports, laboratory reports, demonstration reports, and technology survey reports.
- Guidance - Instructional information on technical topics such as protocols and user’s guides.
- Workshop Report - Summary of workshop discussion and findings.
- Multimedia - On demand videos, animations, and webcasts highlighting featured initiatives or technologies.
- Model/Software - Computer programs and applications available for download.
- Database - Digitally organized collection of data available to search and access.