Composite Training Unit Exercises and Joint Task ... - Govsupport.us

COMPTUEX/JTFEX EA/OEA Final Chapter 4Potential effects of torpedoes on water or sediment quality are associated with propulsion systems,chemical releases, or expended accessories. During normal exercise operations, none of the potentiallyhazardous or harmful materials are released into the marine environment because the torpedo is sealedand, at the end of a run, the torpedoes are recovered. It would be unlikely that OTTO Fuel II contained ina torpedo would be released into the marine environment. Under the worst-case scenario of a catastrophicfailure, however, up to 59 pounds (lb) (27 kg) could be released from a MK-46 (DON, 1996). It isanticipated that in the event of such a maximum potential spill, temporary impacts to water quality mayoccur, but no long-term significant impacts to water quality are anticipated because:The water volume and depth would dilute the spillAlthough OTTO Fuel II may be toxic to marine organisms (DON, 1996), in particular, sessilebenthic animals and vegetation, mobile organisms may move away from areas of high OTTOFuel II concentrations Common marine bacteria degrade and ultimately break down OTTO Fuel (DON, 1996)Missiles contain hazardous materials as normal parts of their functional components. In general, thelargest single hazardous material type is solid propellant, but there are numerous hazardous materials usedin igniters, explosive bolts, batteries, and warheads. For missiles falling in the ocean, the principal sourceof potential impacts to water and sediment quality would be the unburned solid propellant residue andbatteries. The remaining solid propellant fragments would sink to the ocean floor and undergo changes inthe presence of seawater. Testing has demonstrated that water penetrates only 0.06 inches (0.14centimeters [cm]) into the propellant during the first 24 hours of immersion, and that fragments wouldvery slowly release ammonium and perchlorate ions (Aerospace Corporation 1998). These ions would beexpected to be rapidly diluted and disperse in the surrounding water such that local concentrations wouldbe extremely low. However, assuming that all of the propellant on the ocean floor would be in the formof 4-inch cubes, only 0.42 percent of it would be wetted during the first 24 hours. If all the ammoniumperchlorate leaches out of the wetted propellant, then approximately 0.01 lb (0.003 kg) would enter thesurrounding seawater. The concentration would decrease over time as the leaching rate decreases andfurther dilution occurs. The aluminum would remain in the propellant binder and would eventually beoxidized by seawater to aluminum oxide. The remaining binder material and aluminum oxide would notpose a threat to the marine environment. Therefore, effects from missile propellant may have temporaryimpacts on water quality, but are less than significant.Both chaff and flares are used during aircraft training exercises. Chaff is an aluminum coated glass fiberused as a defensive mechanism to reflect radar. All of the components of the aluminum coating arepresent in seawater in trace amounts, except magnesium, which is present at 0.1 percent. The stearic acidcoating is biodegradable and nontoxic. The potential for chaff to have a long-term adverse impact onwater quality is very unlikely, and chemicals leached from the chaff would also be diluted by thesurrounding seawater, thus reducing the potential for concentrations to build up to levels that could haveeffects on sediment quality and benthic habitats.Flares are used over water during training. They are composed of a magnesium pellet that burns quicklyat a very high temperature leaving ash and end caps and pistons. Laboratory leaching tests of flare pelletsand residual ash using synthetic seawater found barium in the pellet tests, while boron and chromiumwere found in the ash tests. The pH of the test water was raised in both tests. Ash from flares would bedispersed over the water surface and then settle out. Chemical leaching would occur throughout thesettling period through the water column, and any leaching after the particles reached the bottom would4-9 February 2007