Camp Minden was the site of an explosion in 2012, when Explo Systems, Inc. was operating within it. The explosion was due to improper storage of explosive and propellant materials, which were exposed to the elements and therefore destabalized. The Louisiana State Police ordered Explo to properly contain the materials, but shortly after doing so the company declared bankruptcy. At that point, the Louisiana National Guard took over the camp and the materials.
The EPA singed an agreement with General Dynamics, Alliant Techsystems and Hercules, Inc., to remove 3 million pounds of materials through a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) action, and the agency signed a CERCLA settlement agreement with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), Louisiana National Guard and Department of the Army in October 2014, which took effect this month. The agency modified the agreement in March to allow consideration of alternative technologies.
Throughout the cleanup process, the EPA and Louisiana Military Department have prioritized public health and worked to keep residents up to date about new developments. The recent workshop let them discuss the recent sampling results, which were taken from six areas around the camp.
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