Military Base Firing Drills May Be Heard In Morris County

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — If you're a new resident of Morris County, you might be hearing some loud noises coming from the Picatinny Arsenal military base today.

According to Ed Lopez, Public Affairs Specialist, Picatinny Arsenal, where most of the artillery used by the United States military is developed and tested, will conduct test firings on Tuesday, Dec. 20 until 3:30 p.m.

Weather conditions will affect how far and loudly the explosives training can be heard and felt, as does the kind of training being conducted, Lopez said.

Picatinny, which spans about 6,400 acres in Jefferson and Rockaway townships, was established in 1880 by what was then known as the U.S. War Department to produce munitions before moving into testing, research and development in subsequent years.

According to Lt. Col. Burgos, the base is responsible for generating nearly $1 billion of income in northern New Jersey.

The base is credited with supporting an additional 7,000 jobs off the base, ranging from small businesses reliant on the patronage of Picatinny personnel to private contracting companies servicing the base.