Mar 19, 2014
Baton Rouge - On March 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an order through its Region 6 office in Dallas to the U.S. Department of the Army to address 15 million pounds of abandoned explosives and propellant stored on the grounds of Camp Minden in Minden.
The site, in Northwestern Louisiana, has been owned and operated by the State of Louisiana and the Louisiana Military Department since 2005. A private company under contract with the U.S. Army has been using the site to improperly store unused explosives and propellant. As the material ages, it becomes more unstable, increasing the chances of an uncontrolled explosion.
EPA’s order finds the Army to have contributed to the illegal storage and handling of the waste explosives, thereby creating an imminent and substantial endangerment of public health and the environment. After receiving the order, the Army must submit a plan for disposing of the material to EPA. The plan must include extensive safety measures for disposal workers and the surrounding area. The order also requires the Army to plan for the health and safety of the local community during and after the cleanup.
For more information on the EPA’s enforcement activities, visit www2.epa.gov/enforcement.