Arcadis Completes Removal of WWI Artillery Boosters from Jersey Shores

Arcadis, the leading global design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets, has recently completed an approximate $8 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District to locate and safely remove pieces of World War I-era artillery boosters from three New Jersey beaches. The project follows Arcadis’ selection as one of nine contractors for the Multiple Award Military Munitions Services II contract valued at up to $240 million over five years to support the USACE Baltimore District with military munitions and environmental response services.

The artillery fusing pieces were inadvertently placed onto the beaches during the pumping of sand from the ocean when screening baskets failed to capture the small objects. The sand was brought ashore as part of a coastal storm risk management project after Hurricane Sandy along 7,600 feet of beach in Loch Arbour, Allenhurst and Deal in New Jersey. The boosters, similar in size to a C battery and made of brass, are part of components that would connect a fuse to the explosives in an artillery round to make up a WWI-era projectile. While not armed, the boosters may contain aged explosives.

To fully address the hazard, USACE Baltimore enlisted Arcadis to excavate and screen the sand placed during the beach-fill operation. The project was successful in safely removing the munitions and allowed beach activities to return to normal prior to the 2017 beach season. Removal and screening operations began in late-2016 and were completed before the end of March 2017. Portions of the beaches were closed during the project to keep the public safe from heavy equipment.

“Arcadis is excited to continue to support the Corps of Engineers, Baltimore and New York Districts to help them provide safe and enjoyable spaces for visitors at the shores of New Jersey,” said Heather Polinsky, Arcadis’ federal program director. “Our project team, comprised of experts in both munitions-response and construction services, places health and safety as a top priority, and we were able to call on our vast experience of similar projects nationwide and overseas to deliver this project safely and on time for our client while improving quality of life for the public.”

USACE called on Arcadis’ vast nationwide experience of handling similar hazardous materials. Arcadis has successfully performed over $250 million in munitions clean-up work for Department of Defense clients in recent years, including Fort Pierce Public Beach, Florida; Fort Wingate, New Mexico; Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey; and Fort Meade, Maryland. As the prime consultant, Arcadis was responsible for all excavation and screening across more than 70 acres of shoreline, public outreach including health and safety briefings, distribution of informational materials and the involvement of local businesses through the duration of the project.

Source: Arcadis