Over the last 20 years, the Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DERP) has evolved into a mature program addressing environmental restoration activities at its active installations, base realignment and closure (BRAC) installations, and formerly used defense sites (FUDS).

Reducing and managing risk is a central element of the DERP. In its earlier years, the DERP focused heavily on the identification, investigation, and cleanup of land impacted by decades of defense operations and training activities. As the program expanded to include historic use of military munitions at its active installations, the program progressed from study to cleanup of industrial remediation of past contamination. The DERP has also included demolition and removing unsafe buildings and structures primarily at former DoD properties that pose health risks to personnel and the general public. In all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 8 U.S. territories, DoD is working to protect citizens and our natural resources by restoring public lands.

DoD has created two distinct programs within the DERP to most effectively address remediation of its sites. The Installation Restoration Program (IRP) primarily addresses sites impacted by hazardous substances. These sites are similar sites across the country contaminated from past practices at industrial and commercial areas, such as municipal landfills and factories. The IRP is a proven program with successes achieved over the past two decades. Through the newly established Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP), DoD can most effectively respond to unexploded ordnance and military munitions waste at areas other than operational ranges. In the coming years, DoD will develop the MMRP to mirror the successes of the IRP.

Guidance and implementation of the DERP is contained in the DERP Management Guidance document.

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