National Guard Bureau set to continue remedial investigation of obsolete Yerington Training Site

YERINGTON, Nev. — The National Guard Bureau is set to continue its remedial investigation of a 5,800-acre obsolete Army Guard training site near Yerington, Nevada National Guard officials said today at the Lyon County Board of Commissioners meeting. The National Guard Bureau administers and provides oversight of the 54 National Guard States (including the District of Columbia) and territories.

The remedial investigation focuses on an undeveloped portion of Lyon County that was previously the Army Guard’s Yerington Training Site. The area was used by the Nevada National Guard for field and drivers training as well as a bivouac site. The Nevada Guard has not conducted training or activities there since the site was closed in the late 1990s.

The remedial investigation is the third step in the overall restoration of the land, which is about 4 miles east of Yerington and runs north to south adjacent to White Mountain and Black Mountain. The majority of the land is Bureau of Land Management-managed; some of the land is owned by a mining company and other private parties.

The Yerington restoration project began in July 2005 with a preliminary assessment that was completed in 2008. At that time, it was determined that the site qualified for the Military Munitions Response Program and additional inspections were required. During the secondary site inspection step of the restoration, some debris from training grenades was found in addition to empty flare tubes and small arms shell casings. Soil analysis revealed no munitions-related contamination. That inspection phase was completed in 2011.

The goal of the current remedial investigation is to determine the type and distribution of munitions and related debris at the site. The remedial investigation is likely to continue through 2016. If future remedial actions are deemed necessary, a feasibility study will occur and be presented to the Board of Commissioners.

Although the overall effect of the military training on the site was likely minor, Nevada Guard officials said they are eager to return the area to its original condition.

“The restoration project at the Yerington Training Site demonstrates the National Guard’s commitment to responsible environmental stewardship, regardless of the amount of time that’s passed since the National Guard used the land,” said Maj. Doug McEldowney, the Nevada Army Guard’s facilities maintenance manager.