State Park to be Combed for Munitions

(Friday, April 28) For almost 10 years, federal officials have been working to make Tobyhanna State Park safer for hikers and bike riders. The park, which is near the Army Depot, was once used by the military for target practice. Officials think there is still ammunition buried in parts of the park. After years of study, the Army Corps of Engineers plan to start looking for those explosives beginning this Wednesday. "We did find partials and fragments and remnants -- that do indicate the potential of them being here," said Nicki Fatherly with the Army Corps of Engineers. That`s why people who live near the park got to find out more about plans to clean-up the explosives Friday night. Some say they live so close to the park explosions have damaged their homes in the past. "There was one that was pretty close to the home. It was fairly large. It rocked the house. It lifted the shingles on the house," said Art Rieder from Coolbaugh Township. The Army Corps isn`t just worried that people may set off the explosives. Engineers say they also pose a big risk if there was ever a forest fire." The ammunition removal process is expected to take about six months. Engineers say people who live in the area should "not" be surprised to hear explosions during that time.