scope:

Purpose.

a. This document provides teams with procedural guidance to develop Conceptual Site Models (CSMs) at sites where unexploded ordnance (UXO), discarded military munitions (DMM), munitions constituents (MC), and/or hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste (HTRW) are known or suspected to be present. The CSM is an integral part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Technical Project Planning (TPP) process (EM 200-1-2) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) systematic planning process as described in the Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans Manual (USEPA 2005). The target audience is the Project Team (hereinafter referred to as the team).

b. This guidance addresses munitions and HTRW environmental responses conducted by USACE under various Military Programs activities or at USACE managed or operated Civil Works facilities. A response to munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) (see textbox) addresses the explosive hazards associated with the presence of UXO, DMM or MC.

c. A response to MC that is not in sufficient concentrations to pose an explosive hazard is the same as an HTRW response. A common goal for response actions is to achieve site closeout in a safe, environmentally responsible, and fiscally responsible manner. It is critical to coordinate efforts to attain this goal of site closeout. The Project Manager (PM) is the leader of the team who must seamlessly integrate efforts to deliver the best possible solution for the site. The team members must coordinate with each other to ensure data collection meets project objectives. Team composition is discussed in paragraph 2-3. The PM must ensure that data collection supports the data quality objectives (DQOs) (see below). Development of a CSM should assist the team in designing the required environmental data collection and response actions, allowing for a more efficient use of resources, ensuring response actions are protective of human health and the environment, and providing for faster closeout of sites.

d. This guidance should be used together with other DoD and relevant guidance for execution. Development of a CSM is an integral component of planning and data collection activities described in TPP and systematic planning. TPP and systematic planning provide a framework for identifying project objectives to undertake the appropriate level of site investigation, characterization, and cleanup to achieve site closeout. TPP and systematic planning help to determine data needs and develop DQOs to support those data needs through a step-wise series of problem identification, analysis, and response. It encourages the team to determine data gaps, to ensure data collected are appropriate for the project objectives, and to consider the end use of data before they are collected. This process results in more efficient and cost-effective investigation, cleanup, and monitoring.

e. The foundation of Corps of Engineers environmental work is the Environmental Operating Principles as specified in ER 200-1-5. These seven tenets serve as guides and must be applied in all Corps business lines as we strive to achieve a sustainable environment.

Applicability.

This manual applies to all Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (HQUSACE) elements, USACE Divisions, Districts, and field operating activities having responsibilities for military programs and/or civil works where MEC, MC and/or HTRW are known or suspected to be present. This guidance is provided to assist any organization or team involved in evaluation and decision-making. The CSM development process in this manual is applicable to any phase of a project, including investigation, design, response, and operation and maintenance of remedial systems with Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Five-Year Reviews.