Predicting environmental impact of military training.

• Author: Foster, Sharon
• Position: Tech talk - Regional Simulation model - Brief Article

Growing concerns about "urban encroachment" around military bases have prompted scientists to develop a Web-based simulation that can help predict the impact of military training on the environment.

Called Regional Simulation model (RSim), the technology will assess the effects of military training on air and water quality, noise and habitats for endangered and game species.

RSim was developed for the region around Fort Benning, Ga., but it is broadly applicable, said Virginia H. Dale, program manager at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The lab, located in Tennessee, is overseeing the project.

The simulation tool is of general applicability to land owners and managers, but also of interest to military planners at defense installations...