Suspect Test Tube Halts Intrusive Excavations at Cleanup Site

Late in the afternoon on Tuesday, May 21, the site crew encountered a suspect closed container item during our excavation behind the retaining wall in the backyard at 4825 Glenbrook Road ... The item is a test tube with approximately 1 inch of solids in the end. 

   Location of sealed ampule

It was encountered in the same vicinity as the auger hole where the 75mm munition debris item was discovered previously.  There were no air monitoring detections at any time during this incident.  Therefore, there was no risk to our workers or the community.  We implemented our safety protocols and secured the item.  We contacted the appropriate response agencies.  

CARA (Army response agency) transported the item to Edgewood on Wednesday, May 22.  CARA and ECBC (Army Lab) will analyze the contents of the item and report the results to USACE by Tuesday, May 28.  The project delivery team (PDT) will assess the situation once analysis results are provided.  At this time, no additional intrusive work will be performed at the site until we have an agreed upon path forward after the PDT review the analysis. 
Rebecca Yahiel, USACE
Glenbrook Road Neighborhood Update 
May 23, 2013

Augered Hole Uncovers Empty Cavity 75-Millimeter Munition

The Spring Valley munitions cleanup project recently uncovered an empty 75-millimeter shell and small pieces of glassware, which the Army Corps of Engineers found to be harmless, officials recently told the Restoration Advisory Board ... The contamination stems from American University's use as an Army testing station during World War I, when munitions and other materiel were left in the woods that became the Spring Valley community.  The Army will also soon install a protective tent over a portion of the Glenbrook property where officials expect to find a contaminated burial pit of chemical munitions — under the basement of a house that was demolished on the site.

Northwest Current

May 22, 2013 (pg. 4)
   

While the crews were auguring the holes for the soldier pile, a 75mm munitions debris item and some small pieces of glassware were found at 4825 Glenbrook Road ... An Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team (Tech Escort) and the Municipal Police were contacted.  Tech Escort arrived on site and X-rayed the round.  The item was empty and does not contain explosives; this classifies the item as munitions debris. All tests for the presence of chemical agent were negative. The item is being stored at the Federal Property until it can be disposed of as scrap.

4825 Glenbrook Road

Weekly Update

May 10, 2013

 X-rayed 75mm artillery shell