JERICHO, Vt. (WCAX) - Construction on a new range for the Vermont National Guard is expected to begin this summer at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho.
Guard officials say the new light demolition range will offer them not only more opportunity to train there but more extensive training, as well.
“It’s hard to really encompass what projects like this bring,” Vermont National Guard Lt. Col. Jacob Roy said.
Roy says trips to New York’s Fort Drum facility were expensive, time-consuming and not efficient.
“The new project that’s coming, it’s called the light demolition range,” he said.
Roy says planning began years ago. Studies ranging from environmental to noise impact took time to yield results, but they have settled on a location.
It will primarily benefit the combat engineers of which Vermont has two companies. They need to be trained to assist other units to maneuver, as well as be prepared to deal with and use explosives.
“For the training purposes for what they might see, either in a combat situation or a multitude of situations where explosives may be encountered,” said Roy.
He says better facilities right here in Vermont mean more real-world applications.
“Conduct demolitions in a safe and effective manner so it gets them set up for what they need to do. And then prepares them for the more difficult events they have, to include timber cutting, setting charges on metal or simulated structures, and going into the combat scenarios where they might have to use demolition to clear minefields, wire, things like that to get troops moving forward,” Roy said.
But with explosives comes noise, something they have planned for.
“This group of hills right here, to try to shield as much of the noise, and actually try to get the noise to radiate back into the installation,” said Roy.
He says after noise studies were done, they are confident that the area of Jericho and Underhill will see minimal impact. Though there is a small ring of “level one” noise that could make it off-base.
“Really what it comes down to is, it is a noise decibel level that is 62 decibels or less, so it’s classified as a nuisance noise,” said Roy.
Weather can play a role in sound traveling, but they say the surrounding areas affected would be in the range of normal conversation to office noise or 60 to 70 decibels.
Roy says that for soldiers, this new step is crucial.
“It keeps our soldiers home, it keeps them closer to home. It allows more time with family while they are prepping to do their job. It also brings benefits into the community,” he said.
They are waiting on the official funding from the National Guard Bureau to begin the project, but they are optimistic construction can begin late summer or fall.
They say they are also committed to communicating with community members about upcoming training exercises.
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Vermont National Guard to construct light demolition range - WCAX
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