The Camp Butner FUDS is located 15 miles north of Durham, North Carolina, and encompasses approximately 40,384 acres in Granville, Person, and Durham counties.  Camp Butner was primarily established to train infantry, artillery, and engineering combat troops for deployment and redeployment overseas during World War II. The installation was active from 1942 until 1946; however, training was only conducted through 1943. Construction of Camp Butner was authorized by the War Department on February 12, 1942. The camp was officially active on August 4, 1942 and occupied approximately 40,384 acres.  The acquired acreage was owned by multiple private owners and consisted of rural, agricultural, undeveloped wooded, commercial, and residential land use parcels. Camp Butner was established to train infantry divisions and miscellaneous artillery and engineer units. Camp Butner was declared excess by the War Department on January 31, 1947. The installation included approximately 15 live-fire ammunition training ranges, a grenade range, a 1,000-inch range, a gas chamber, and a flame thrower training pad. Munitions used at the site included small arms, 2.36-inch rockets, rifle and hand grenades, 37-millimeter (mm) through 155mm high explosive (HE) projectiles, 60 and 81mm mortars, and antipersonnel practice mines. Training activities also included the use of demolition items such as trinitrotoluene (TNT) and various initiating and priming materials. Following World War II, the camp was closed, limited ordnance clearances were performed, and the property was conveyed to the National Guard, the State of North Carolina, local municipalities, and private owners.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) conducted a remedial investigation (RI) at the Camp Butner FUDS in 2012/2013 to characterize munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) and munitions constituents (MC).  Field activities included digital geophysical mapping (DGM) surveys, mag-and-dig, intrusive grid investigation, and the collection of incremental soil samples for MC analysis. The RI report was prepared in March 2016 and concluded MEC contamination is potentially present that poses an explosive hazard to current and future receptors. MC was detected at levels constituting a risk to human health or the environment. The RI report recommends a Feasibility Study (FS) be prepared for MEC for identified Munitions Response Sites (MRS). No MC risk was identified and no action was recommended for MC.

The FS was finalized in March 2019 and developed the remedial action objective (RAO), identified remedial alternatives that address the RAO, and conducted a detailed analysis of the remedial alternatives according to the standard US Environmental Protection Agency evaluation criteria. USACE determined no further action was necessary for MRS-09 (Project 02). Five remedial alternatives were evaluated for the following MRS:

1. MRS-01 (Project 11): Military Training MEC Contaminated
2. MRS-02 (Project 04): Military Training Buffer
3. MRS-03 (Project 05): Buffer
4. MRS-04 (Project 06): Central MEC Contaminated
5. MRS-05 (Project 07): Northern MEC Contaminated
6. MRS-06 (Project 08): Eastern MEC Contaminated
7. MRS-07 (Project 09): Western MEC Contaminated
8. MRS-08 (Project 10): South MEC Contaminated

USACE conducted a public meeting to present the Proposed Plan (PP) to the public on April 16, 2018. The PP identified the preferred remedial alternatives for each MRS. Subsequently, a Record of Decision (ROD) was approved to authorize implementation of the remedial action for each MRS.  The RODs were approved in 2021/2022 and the selected remedial alternative for MRS-01 through 08 are as follows:

1. MRS-01 (Project 11): Military Training MEC Contaminated: Land Use Controls (LUCs) (Educational Pamphlets & Warning Signage)
2. MRS-02 (Project 04): Military Training Buffer: LUCs (Educational Pamphlets & Warning Signage)
3. MRS-03 (Project 05): Buffer: LUCs (Educational Pamphlets & Warning Signage)
4. MRS-04 (Project 06): Central MEC Contaminated: Surface and Subsurface Removal of MEC to a Depth of Detection Using Advanced Geophysical Classification (AGC) Methods and LUCs
5. MRS-05 (Project 07): Northern MEC Contaminated: Surface and Subsurface Removal of MEC to a Depth of Detection Using Advanced Geophysical Classification (AGC) Methods and LUCs
6. MRS-06 (Project 08): Eastern MEC Contaminated: Surface and Subsurface Removal of MEC to a Depth of Detection Using Advanced Geophysical Classification (AGC) Methods and LUCs
7. MRS-07 (Project 09): Western MEC Contaminated: Surface and Subsurface Removal of MEC to a Depth of Detection Using Advanced Geophysical Classification (AGC) Methods and LUCs
8. MRS-08 (Project 10): South MEC Contaminated: Surface and Subsurface Removal of MEC to a Depth of Detection Using Advanced Geophysical Classification (AGC) Methods and LUCs

USACE awarded a contract in September 2023 to implement the remedial action for MRS-04, 05, and 11. Currently, preparation of work plans are underway.  The components of the remedial action (pamphlets and warning signage) are being designed in 2024 and the remedial action is tentatively scheduled to be implemented in 2024/2025.

USACE held the most recent Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meeting on August 24, 2023.  The next RAB meeting is tentatively scheduled for August/September 2024. Specific information regarding the next RAB meeting will be provided at a later date.