Foreword: In the past, ordnance, explosives, and chemical warfare materials often created environmental hazards at former and current military sites. When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked to remove these hazards, the Corps immediately realized that it had to understand the processes, practices, and materials used at these sites. Studying the history of these sites was the first step to assuring a thorough and cost-effective cleanup.
Research on the histories of the sites quickly revealed that the search for relevant documents was an arduous, time-consuming task. Researchers found that records documenting the history of the hazardous processes, practices, and materials are dispersed in various government and private collections throughout the United States. While these records are extensive, they often are difficult to locate and use.
This research guide is intended to help all environmental researchers successfully navigate the archival maze of federal records and federal records repositories. The guide is a joint effort of the Formerly Used Defense Sites team of the Office of History and the Environmental Division, both of Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This volume is the third in a series, Guides to Environmental Research, designed to help environmental researchers complete their historical research as quickly and economically as possible.
