DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
2000 NAVY PENTAGON
WASHINGTON DC 20350-2000
OPNAVINST 8020.15B
N41
26 Apr 2021
OPNAV INSTRUCTION 8020.15B
From: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj: EXPLOSIVES SAFETY REVIEW, OVERSIGHT AND VERIFICATION OF
MUNITIONS RESPONSES
Ref: (a) DESR 6055.09, Edition 1, 13 January 2019
(b) NAVSEA OP 5 Volume I, Seventh Revision
(c) NOSSAINST 8020.15D
(d) OPNAVINST 5090.1E
(e) OPNAV-M 5090.1
Encl: (1) Terms and Definitions
1. Purpose. To establish policy, define authority and assign responsibilities for the explosives
safety aspects of munitions responses. This policy is revised to support new formatting directive
and removes Marine Corps Order 8020.13A from the title of this instruction. As identified in
Department of the Navy (DON), Environmental Restoration Program Manual, 2018, Marine
Corps policy on explosives safety review, oversight and verification functions of munitions
response on Marine Corps installations are established in Marine Corps Order 8020.10. This
instruction is a complete revision and should be reviewed in its entirety.
2. Cancellation. OPNAVINST 8020.15A.
3. Background. A munitions response is action taken to address explosives safety, human
health or environmental risks presented by munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) which
include unexploded ordnance (UXO), discarded military munitions (DMM) or munitions
constituents (MC) in high enough concentrations to pose an explosive hazard. Munitions
responses are not limited to sites within the Navy’s Munitions Response Program and can occur
on any Navy controlled real property where MEC or material potentially presenting an explosive
hazard (MPPEH) are known or suspected to be present.
4. Applicability. This policy applies to all munitions response actions performed on Navy
controlled real property known or suspected to contain MEC or MPPEH, other than operational
ranges. In the case of a pre-existing burial site located on an operational range, the burial site
would be subject to this policy while the overall operational range would not be. This policy
also applies to Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) mobile units and detachments
performing explosives or munitions emergency responses on or off their assigned military
facility and on or off Navy controlled real property.
