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    • Munitions and Explosives of Concern

    Metadata Updated: September 15, 2024

    Munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) have been deposited on the seabed of the United States outer continental shelf since World War I. The bulk of these munitions have originated from the U.S. Armed Forces while conducting military training exercises, war-time placement, and disposal and dumping activities. Since 1972 ocean disposal of munitions and other pollutants has been banned by the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act. Federal and state efforts to mitigate, map, monitor, and sometimes remove these munitions are ongoing. The location of these munitions is generally unknown, and their existence remains a hazard to people and the natural resources within this geography.

    The term MEC defines a collection of munitions including; a) unexploded ordnance, b) discarded military munitions, and c) munitions constituents that are present in high enough concentrations to pose an explosive hazard. Additional information on the location of MECs can be found in the data and references listed below:

    1. Formerly Used Defense Sites
    2. Danger Zones and Restricted Areas
    3. U.S. Disposal of Chemical Weapons in the Ocean: Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report for Congress, January 3, 2007
    4. Defense Environmental Programs Annual Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2009. Chapter 10. Sea Disposal of Military Munitions

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date August 15, 2024
    Metadata Created Date January 20, 2023
    Metadata Updated Date September 15, 2024
    Reference Date(s) July 10, 2024 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOS OCM

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date August 15, 2024
    Metadata Created Date January 20, 2023
    Metadata Updated Date September 15, 2024
    Reference Date(s) July 10, 2024 (publication)
    Responsible Party NOAA Office for Coastal Management (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:69013
    Access Constraints Cite As: Office for Coastal Management, [Date of Access]: Munitions and Explosives of Concern [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/69013., Use Constraints: For coastal and ocean planning, Distribution Liability: https://www.marinecadastre.gov/about/disclaimer.html
    Bbox East Long 177.75
    Bbox North Lat 71.5
    Bbox South Lat 13.25
    Bbox West Long -177.25
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned
    Harvest Object Id ac6c60c1-9875-4f93-8c78-34133756e7bd
    Harvest Source Id c0121fd9-df15-4168-ac04-42f6e36a794d
    Harvest Source Title NOS OCM
    Licence NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose.
    Lineage
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-177.25, 13.25], [177.75, 13.25], [177.75, 71.5], [-177.25, 71.5], [-177.25, 13.25]]]}
    Progress completed
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System EPSG::4269
    Spatial Harvester True

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