Fieldwork begins next week at century-old Eagle Mountain munitions site
Crews with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin surveying into Eagle Mountain’s past on July 14, launching a two-week field investigation into whether remnants of military training exercises from nearly a century ago still linger beneath the surface near Golden Eagle Drive.
The effort is part of a broader Remedial Investigation (RI) at the Golden Eagle North Munitions Response Site (MRS), a 51-acre area of mostly undeveloped land adjacent to residential neighborhoods in The Ranches.
The site was flagged for cleanup following a 2016 report from a local resident whose son discovered old metallic debris while using a metal detector.
A subsequent site visit confirmed the presence of munitions-related fragments, prompting the Utah Army National Guard to refer the site to the federal Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP) for further investigation.
“This is an incredible piece of history that we have here in Eagle Mountain,” says Eagle Mountain Communications Manager Tyler Maffitt.
Historical records suggest the area may have been used for training between the 1920s and 1940, between the world wars, potentially involving 37mm and 75mm projectiles.
To support the upcoming investigation, the Army Corps will establish a temporary staging area at the southern edge of the MRS, off North Golden Ridge Drive. A 20-foot conex container will be placed on a paved City-owned pad to store field equipment and serve as the location for daily crew meetings.
Officials with the Utah National Guard say the location was selected to minimize disruption to nearby homes and will not interfere with existing infrastructure.
“Our primary concern is to ensure we help remediate any potential environmental impact that may have been caused by historic military training,” Lt. Col. Chris Kroeber, Public Affairs Officer for the Utah National Guard has previously said. “We are committed to working with the Army Corps of Engineers to make sure the area is clean and safe for current and future residents.”
The investigation is being conducted under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which governs cleanup of sites potentially impacted by hazardous materials from military or industrial activity. No surveying will occur in paved or developed areas, and no public closures are expected during the investigation period.
While the land is open and walkable in many areas, officials are asking residents to avoid undeveloped parts of the site under active review until the investigation is complete.
Eagle Mountain City has been coordinating with state and federal agencies throughout the process.
“Residents who enjoy hiking and biking in the area may notice debris. In those cases, it’s important to remember the three R’s: recognize, retreat, and report.”
Once the investigation concludes, a detailed report will summarize the findings and outline any additional steps needed. If cleanup is required, residents will be informed through additional outreach from the City and its partners.
Residents with questions are encouraged to follow Eagle Mountain City’s website and for updates as the work progresses.