US Army Corps of Engineers Runs Military Munitions Response Program for Over Two Decades

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2026 — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has managed the Military Munitions Response Program for more than 20 years, directing the identification and removal of unexploded ordnance, discarded military munitions and munitions constituents at former defense sites across the United States.

The program covers legacy training ranges, testing areas and other former defense locations that contain hazards presenting technical and safety challenges. USACE coordinates multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers to execute the work, which the Department of Defense release states honors past service members while reducing risks to current populations living or working near those sites.

Prior to the program's establishment, many former defense properties received limited systematic clearance for munitions. The MMRP shifted operations to a dedicated, standardized response framework that now runs continuously at eligible sites nationwide.

No specific start date for new projects appears in the May 12, 2026 CENTCOM release; the program operates as an ongoing initiative without a announced termination.

The operational change requires state and local governments near affected sites to coordinate with USACE on land reuse plans once clearance reaches specified depths and areas. Federal funding for MMRP projects must clear annual appropriations reviews, triggering Defense Department budget requests that compete with other environmental restoration accounts.

Regulatory agencies gain updated site data that can accelerate decisions on habitat restoration or public access permits at former ranges. Congress receives annual progress reports that document acres cleared and items removed, directly informing future authorization levels for the Formerly Used Defense Sites account.

This sustained effort follows the program's creation under earlier defense environmental statutes. The CENTCOM release issued May 12, 2026, details the program's multidisciplinary structure without referencing new funding totals or individual project completions.

The MMRP addresses distinct categories of risk: intact munitions that could detonate, chemical constituents that leach into groundwater, and bulk discarded items that require specialized disposal. Each category follows separate technical protocols developed by USACE over the program's two-decade run.