Here & Now

What The Future Holds For Former Propellant Facility

ZAC SCHULTZ:

IT MIGHT SEEM SURPRISING TO SOME THAT AGRICULTURE ALSO PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE ON THE LAND THAT WAS ONCE THE LARGEST MILITARY PROPELLANT MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN THE WORLD. WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION HAS BEEN COVERING THE BREAKUP OF THE BADGER ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. THIS WEEK, WE HAVE CONTINUING COVERAGE AS PRODUCER JOEL WALDINGER AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THIS PROPERTY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE FORMER BADGER AMMUNITION PLANT IS GOING THROUGH A RENAISSANCE. IT WAS NEARLY 1500 ARMY BUILDINGS LINKED BY A NETWORK OF PIPES. THE U.S. ARMY SEIZED THE PROPERTY IN THE 1940s TO PREPARE FOR WORLD WAR II. MORE THAN 100 FARM FAMILIES WERE FORCED OFF THEIR LAND. AT ITS PEAK, THE ARMY EMPLOYED 13,000 PEOPLE HERE. FRANK ANSTETT BEGAN TO WORK HERE WHEN THE PLANT MOBILIZED FOR THE VIETNAM WAR.

FRANK ANSTETT:

IT WAS 24/7. YOU’D COME OVER THE HILL AT NIGHT, IT WAS LIT UP. WE WERE MANUFACTURING ROCKET AND SINGLE BASE AND BALL POWDER PROPELLANTS.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

NEARLY 70 YEARS AFTER THE PLANT OPENED, DEMOLITION IS DONE UNDER A SPRAY OF WATER, INTENDED TO KEEP ANY EXPLOSIVE RESIDUE FROM DETONATING ON IMPACT. THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN ABOUT ASBESTOS AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS. THE FORMER ARMY LAND BETWEEN BARABOO AND SAUK CITY IS NOW MANAGED BY THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS: THE WISCONSIN DNR, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE HO-CHUNK NATION.

JON GREENDEER:

I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE HISTORY OF THE BADGER LAND.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

JON GREENDEER IS THE FORMER HO-CHUNK PRESIDENT. DURING HIS TERM THE DECISION TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY WAS NOT EASY.

JON GREENDEER:

WE TAKE THIS PROPERTY AND PAY THE PROPERTY TAXES. TAKE ON THE LIABILITY AND INHERIT THIS CONTAMINATED PIECE OF PROPERTY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WITH THE LONG HISTORY OF CONTAMINATION, THE HO-CHUNKS STILL HAVE CONCERNS.

JON GREENDEER:

I DON’T THINK I’M PUSHING THE ENVELOPE TOO MUCH TO SAY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT DONE FILLING IN THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN. I DON’T THINK YOU GET TO WASH YOUR HANDS AND SAY YOU GOT YOUR LAND BACK AND WALK AWAY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE HO-CHUNK NATION IS STILL DEVELOPING FUTURE PLANS FOR THEIR 1500 ACRES.

JON GREENDEER:

THE FUTURE IS ABOUT CREATING A SUSTAINABLE PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR THE NATION, BOTH ENVIRONMENTALLY, BOTH FINANCIALLY, CULTURAL. AND THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT WE COVER ALL ASPECTS. WE’RE DOING A LOT OF PRAIRIE RESTORATION AND MAYBE SOME LIGHT RECREATIONAL AREAS, VISITING HISTORY, INTERPRETATIVE CENTERS AND PERHAPS THE EVENTUAL REINTRODUCTION OF BISON ON THE PROPERTY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

ONE OF THE GROUPS THE HO-CHUNK WILL LOOK TO FOR HELP IS THE USDA, WHICH ALREADY HAS A LONG HISTORY ON THE PROPERTY.

MARK BOGGESS:

WE WORKED WITH THE HO-CHUNK NATION IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE, TO HELP THEM RECLAIM SOME OF THE PROPERTY FOR NATIVE VEGETATION.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

MARK BOGGESS IS WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

MARK BOGGESS:

WE ARRIVED HERE IN THE EARLY 80s AS PART OF THE US DAIRY FORAGE RESEARCH CENTER. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 2200 ACRES.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

DESPITE CONTAMINATION IN OTHER AREAS, BOGGESS HAS LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPACT ON HIS OPERATIONS.

MARK BOGGESS:

WE DO A LOT OF VERY SYSTEMATIC SOIL TESTING AND MONITORING. THE ARMY STILL HAS ALL THE TEST WELLS. THEY’RE MONITORING WATER QUALITY. WE’VE BEEN ASSURED AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE DUE DILIGENCE AND SOME VIGILANCE IN THAT AREA THAT THE ACRES THAT WE USE ARE CLEAN AND NOT CONTAMINATED. WE HAVE SEVERAL BUILDINGS LEFT THAT ARE IN PRETTY DRAMATIC STATE OF DECAY NOW. WE DEFINITELY HAVE A HIGH PRIORITY TO GET THEM REMOVED AND REMEDIATED. AND THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AS ALL THE OTHERS THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT. THEY HAVE SOME ASBESTOS, ET CETERA.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE USDA ALSO HAS ITS OWN COMMITTEE FORMULATING A MASTER PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY.

MARK BOGGESS:

I SEE THIS PLACE EVOLVING FROM BEING ESSENTIALLY IGNORED AND JUST FARMED ON INTO A VERY DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE PLACE WHERE SCIENTISTS AND THE PUBLIC CAN COME AND INTERFACE AND LOOK AT THE TECHNOLOGIES BEING APPLIED, IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER QUALITY, IMPROVEMENTS IN SOIL ECOLOGY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

THE PLAN IS THE SAUK PRAIRIE RECREATION AREA. IT’S UNIQUE BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY DOES ADJACENT DEVIL’S LAKE STATE PARK.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

DEVIL’S LAKE IS ONE OF WISCONSIN’S MOST POPULAR STATE PARKS. AND IT WILL SOON CONNECT TO THE SPRALWING SAUK PRAIRIE RECREATION AREA THAT ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN 3300 ACRES.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

THE HIKING AND HUNTING AND TRAPPING AND SOME FISHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE AREAS THAT ARE ALONG THE RIVER. WE ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME HORSE TRAILS, BIKE TRAILS, SNOWMOBILING, SNOWSHOEING, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, WILDLIFE VIEWING.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE DNR ALSO WANTS TO UTILIZE THIS EXISTING RAILROAD BED.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

THAT CORRIDOR WILL BE UTILIZED MUCH LIKE A LOT OF OUR TRAILS IN WISCONSIN THAT WE’VE HAD CONVERTED FROM ABANDONED RAILROAD TRACKS TO TRAILS. WE’RE HOPING THAT THAT CAN CONNECT THE CITY OF SAUK CITY ALL THE WAY TO DEVIL’S LAKE.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

A SINGLE HELICOPTER FLY OVER BY THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD FOR TRAINING IS ABOUT THE ONLY TRACE OF THE MILITARY YOU’LL FIND HERE TODAY. BUT THE ARMY STILL PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE. WHILE METAL FROM THE ORIGINAL DEMOLITION COULD BE RECYCLED, THE WOOD CHIPS AND CRUSHED CONCRETE FROM 83 MILES OF PAVED ROADS WENT TO THIS LANDFILL ON SITE.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

THE ARMY WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AND MONITOR THE LANDFILL AND ALSO OTHER LANDFILLS WITHIN THE AREA. ALSO, MONITORING THE GROUNDWATER, AS YOU’LL SEE THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY. THERE ARE MONITORING WELLS THAT THEY ARE CHECKING ON AND MAINTAINING.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE DNR SAYS THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE NO CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF USING THIS FORMER HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

WE DO TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY FOR THE PUBLIC AND OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WORKING ON THE PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING MAINTAINED AS SAFE FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WHILE THE PLANNING CONTINUES FOR THE FUTURE, THE PROPERTY IS ALREADY IN USE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SINCE 2014.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

THERE IS ACTUALLY PUBLIC OUT HERE RIGHT NOW AND THAT’S GOOD TO SEE.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE NEW PUBLIC ACCESS IS ALSO SHEDDING LIGHT ON AN OFTEN-FORGOTTEN PIECE OF HISTORY.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

THERE’S THREE CEMETERIES WITHIN THE PROPERTY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

DURING THE TIME THE ARMY CONTROLLED THIS AREA, FAMILIES WERE NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE GRAVES OF LOVED ONES. NOW THAT’S CHANGING.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

THESE CEMETERIES GO BACK CERTAINLY BEFORE THE ARMY STARTED THE AMMUNITION PLANT.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE DNR IS ALSO LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH ITS NEIGHBORS, THE USDA AND THE HO-CHUNK NATION.

PAUL ZAJACKOWSKI:

IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER ON VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT. WE’RE HOPING TO DO THAT, MAYBE SHARING SOME TYPES OF FACILITIES. IT’S VERY EXCITING TO SEE WHAT THIS CAN BE IN THE FUTURE AND THE POTENTIAL THAT IT HAS.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

RIGHT NOW THE DNR IS IN THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PROPOSED SAUK PRAIRIE RECREATION AREA. LATER THIS YEAR, THE NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD IS EXPECTED TO FINALIZE THE MASTER PLAN.