Re: [CPEO-MEF] Unexploded Arms Require Big Cleanup At 16,000 U.S. Sites

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

The Press Release, from Public Employees for Environmental
Responsibility, that served as the basis for the Washington Post article
on Unexploded Ordnance is available at
http://www.peer.org/press/292.html]. The release contains links to
versions of EPA's survey as well as a "briefing" with the 16,000 number.

There is no question that cleaning up unexploded ordnance in this
country is a major challenge, but I repeat, there are not 16,000
inactive ranges. If those of us who are concerned about this problem
want to hold the Defense Department's feet to the fire, we have to
carefully check the information that comes our way.

Lenny Siegel



Lenny Siegel wrote:
> 
> I've been deluged this morning with e-mails of the Washington Post
> article on unexploded ordnance (UXO). As someone who has worked for
> years to highlight the UXO problem, I'm pleased to see the attention.
> 
> Unfortunately, the article is inaccurate and sensational.
> 
> First and foremost, I've never seen any document suggesting that there
> are 16,000 inactive military ranges. Perhaps there was a typo. 1,600
> seems more reasonable.
> 
> Second, the article suggests that government officials have not
> acknowledged the extent of the problem. Though it's taking the Defense
> Department forever to come up with a detailed inventory of sites, both
> Defense and EPA have recognized and reported the significance of the
> problem for years.
> 
> As a result, Congress has gradually increased pressure for munitions
> response, requiring the inventory, separate reporting of munitions
> response expenditures, and just recently, the centralization of program management.
> 
> There is, of course, much more to be done. There must be a mechanism for
> regulatory agencies to require UXO cleanup. Technologies should be
> developed and proven to address ordnance contamination reliably and
> cost-effectively. There should be flexible national standards for site
> security. And there needs to be a funding stream commensurate with the
> size of the problem.
> 
> Lenny
> 


-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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