Camp Bonneville is located in southeastern Clark County, Washington, about 12 miles east of Vancouver and seven miles north of the Columbia River. It was established in 1909 as a drill field and rifle range for Vancouver Barracks and has been used primarily as a training camp for various branches of the military. The property is largely undeveloped; more than half of its six square miles is forested.
Since the U.S. Army closed Camp Bonneville in 1995, the 3,840-acre property has captured the imagination of hikers, equestrians, parks planners, wildlife enthusiasts, campers, Native American groups, and many others.
After the Army closed the facility along with several others nationwide, the property was selected for transfer and reuse by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). On October 3, 2006, after ten years of dialog and negotiation with the Army and the state Department of Ecology, the Board of Clark County Commissioners accepted transfer of property ownership from the Army to the county. The county then transferred ownership to the Bonneville Conservation Restoration & Renewal Team LLC (BCRRT), an organization managing a team of contractors expert in the cleanup and removal of hazardous wastes and unexploded ordnance.
This cleanup will be performed to specifications set by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The Army will provide $27 million over the next several years to pay for the cleanup work and related insurance.
For more information about the state-managed cleanup process at the site, please visit the Department of Ecology Camp Bonneville Web site. For on the ground cleanup activity information visit Bonneville Conservation Restoration & Renewal Web site.
For the latest information on public involvement activities and the Camp Bonneville Citizen's Advisory Group, visit the new Camp Bonneville Web site.
State approves early transfer of Camp Bonneville to Clark County - news release from the Department of Ecology - October 3, 2006
