F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E
1956 Camp Stoneman Radiology Reports Posted for Public View
PITTSBURG, Calif.– The City of Pittsburg posted declassified reports this week with information about radiation tests done in 1956 at the former Camp Stoneman military base, which operated in Pittsburg from 1942 to 1954.
The U.S. Army tested the effectiveness of various decontamination procedures on land, buildings and pavement. According to a representative of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the isotope used for the test has a brief half-life of about 40 hours, and decayed to a stable compound within 17 days.
“There is no test-related radiation concern at the site as more than 64 years have passed since the test event,” wrote James Specht, Senior Environmental Program Manager wrote in a letter to City of Pittsburg staff. “We consider this matter closed.”
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a radiation safety program was in place during the test, and people monitored for radiation during the test showed results well below current federal limits.
The investigation study data and information are detailed and documented in a report entitled, “Cost and Effectiveness of Decontamination Procedures for Land Targets, Research and Development Technical Report USNRDL-TR-196, December 27, 1957.
In the interest of transparency, the City posted the unclassified report that was provided by the U.S. Army Corps in response to a request from the public. The documents are posted on the City’s website at https://www.pittsburgca.gov/government/news
Camp Stoneman was a U.S. Army staging area and rifle range for troop training in Pittsburg, Calif. that operated from 1942 until it was decommissioned on August 30, 1954. Over two million service personnel passed through this military facility to serve in locations throughout the Pacific.
# # # # # # # #
Press Release
Department of the Army Camp Stoneman Letter_City of Pittsburg
REPORT_Cost And Effectiveness Of Decontamination Procedures For Land Targets - 27 DEC 57
