166 Conventional Ammunition in Surplus 18 Ammunition Stockpiles and Communities

Ammunition stockpiles present a dilemma to the communities that live in close proximity to them, as well as to national stockpile managers. Both inter-est groups ‘compete ’ for open spaces near transportation nexuses. As a result, the security of stockpiles and the safety of communities can be at risk. Com-munities are dynamic entities that often grow and expand into spaces that have previously been designated as safety zones. In the event of ammunition explo-sion or contamination, this kind of encroachment can result in civilian casual-ties. Stockpiles can also be problematic because they attract members of the lo-cal community for the wrong reasons. They may provide an interesting space, or a source of interesting objects, for playing children. Other members of the community may view them as a potential source of stolen items for resale. But stockpiles also positively benefit communities by providing employment and broader benefits to local service industries. As a result, there are often extensive linkages between stockpiles and communities, and this results in there being multi-ple stakeholders in their management. Stockpile authorities therefore have the re