Ravenna Army Ammunition Plant

Analysis of Army's Justification To Retain Depot Storage Area Gao ID: NSIAD-85-159 September 30, 1985

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Army's justification for retaining a 6,919-acre depot storage area at Ravenna Army Ammunition Plant in Ohio. In addition, GAO attempted to determine whether sanitary landfill sites within the storage area contained hazardous or toxic wastes.

GAO found that: (1) about 4,800 acres containing igloos used for explosives storage could be declared excess property without affecting operations in the production area or the Army's ability to receive and ship ammunition and explosives by truck; (2) an additional 1,000 acres were not necessary for Ohio National Guard training or for an ammunition production line that would be built during a mobilization; and (3) the General Services Administration planned to recommend to the Army that the additional 1,000 acres be released for disposal. In addition, GAO found that: (1) while the depot storage area was not used as a sanitary landfill, a quarry in the area may have been used for acid disposal and another section of the storage area might contain unexploded ammunition and buried mustard gas; and (2) the Army intends to survey the storage area to determine the extent of contamination.



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