By Pete McIntyre

RDNO seeks survey of unexploded ordinances near landfill

Dec 11, 2019 | 5:42 PM

The Regional District of North Okanagan is looking to make sure there are no leftover military mortars near one of its facilities

A proposed motion before the RDNO board seeks to get approval to ask the Department of National Defence (DND) for a full and complete survey of the property encompassing the Greater Vernon Diversion and Disposal Facility on Birnie Road, south of Vernon, other than areas already surveyed.

The regional board wants to ensure no unexploded ordinances remain on areas of the facility, specifically areas mapped-out for future expansion.

Parts of Greater Vernon, including the DND lands, were used for military training in decades past and from time to time, old mortars are uncovered and have to be removed by experts.

The DND land is adjacent on the north and east sides of the disposal facility.

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An RDNO staff report says the federal department has been providing unexploded explosive ordinance (UXO) investigations and clearance for the RDNO under a long standing UXO legacy site program.

A report in 2018 concluded that “a significant amount of munitions scrap were discovered” during a survey which suggests the area was once part of an impact area with high explosive use.

“Everywhere outside the marked laydown areas should be avoided due to the residual UXO risk,” said the report.

The final report received in July 2019 stated the following: “The results of the clearance in Area B revealed expended munitions scrap totalling 558 pieces including both 2 and 3 inch mortar components, six pound projectiles and 729+ pieces of munitions.

Who would pay for the survey is still up in the air with a DND Senior Project Manager telling the regional district, the department has “no discretionary funding available to help support projects in the greater Vernon area.”

by Pete McIntyre

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