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B-178547 1 (1973-08-30)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaafwt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: COMPTROLL ER GENCRAL Or THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON. D.C. )o5M- B-178547,LM09608 0 1973 The Honorable Bill Chappell DOCMEN A. m H-ouse of Representatives BEST DOGUNT Dear Mr. Chappell: / In response to your June 22, 1973, letter we have lool:ud into the Nay mbhi.n rctices at the Pinecastle Electro-iii Warfare Range in the Ocala Ntional Forest, Florida. You re- quested that we obtain information on the frequency of bomb- ing runs, use of live weaponry, damag to p~rpi ory, dl.f effects ..on_ theores-t,_and, 'danger to human life. We reviewed pertinent records and interviewed Navy off_ cials responsible for operating and maintaining Pinecastle and Forest Service officials of the Seminole Ranger Distr.LCL Office, Ocala National Forest. We also interviewed area resi- dents to obtain their views about hazards from these bom ;-Jig5 We discussed our findings with you on July 12, 1973. Some hazards from the Navy's use of the forest as a bojiib- ing range include fires, stray bombs, aircraft crashes, and tremors; but the hazards have not caused any civilian injuries or deaths or major damage to private property. The Navy has instituted several measures to minimize these hazards. It has also considered several alternatives to continued use of the range but has not found any of them to be acceptable. BACKGROUND The Army Air Corps used areas within the Ocala National Forest as a bombing range during World War II. After the war, the Air Force and later the Navy used the forest for practice bombings. The Forest Service issued the Navy a permit in 1951 which allowed the Navy to use 5,760 acres in Marion County as a bombing range. The permit has no expiration date and can be terminated by either the Forest Service or the Navy. A road circling the Pinecastle range is open to traffic. There is no fence around the area, but public access is re- stricted by signs along the perimeter road and by military personnel patrolling the area. A hiking trail and two recreational areas are about 3 miles from the outer boundary of the range. Several small

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