Congressional letter on Vieques-Culebra listing

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

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From House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi 
H-204, The Capitol, Washington D.C. 20515 

http://democraticleader.house.gov 

Monday, July 12, 2004 

Pelosi, Other House Democrats Support Vieques Cleanup 

Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the
following statement today on the a letter sent with 14 House Democrats
asking the Office of Management and Budget to include the former
training sites of Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico on the Superfund list
for environmental cleanup:

"I have seen firsthand how almost 60 years the Navy used Vieques for
intensive live-fire training exercise has harmed residents' health,
environment and safety. 

"While we are pleased that the Navy ended their bombing exercises last
year, until the necessary cleanup takes place, the risks for health and
human safety remain. 

"Today, my colleagues and I call on the Administration to expedite the
inclusion of the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra on the
Superfund list for the desperately needed and long overdue
decontamination. 

 "I commend the hard work of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,
including Chairman Ciro Rodríguez, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez,
Congressmen Luis Gutiérrez, José Serrano, Charlie Rangel, Joseph
Crowley, and Resident Commissioner Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá, for their
tireless efforts on behalf of the environment, health and human rights
of the more than 9,000 U.S. citizens of Vieques, Puerto Rico.

"We will continue to work to ensure that the Navy cleans the bombing
range so that residents can look forward to a brighter, healthier, and
more prosperous future."

***

July 12 , 2004 

Mr. Joshua B. Bolten 
Director 
The Office of Management and Budget 
725 17th Street, NW 
Washington, D.C. 20503 

Dear Director Bolten: 

We are writing with regards to the pending National Priority List (NPL)
designation for the former Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Area (AFWTA),
constituted by the former training ranges on the islands of Vieques and
Culebra, Puerto Rico, and the surrounding waters and keys.

On June 13, 2003, Governor Sila Calderón wrote the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to designate the AFWTA as the facility that
represents the greatest threat to human health and the environment in
Puerto Rico, invoking Section 105(a)(8)(B) of CERCLA, to place the
facility on the NPL - commonly known as Superfund designation.  In
December 2003, the EPA forwarded a positive recommendation on this
designation to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  Since that
time, representatives of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have met with
representatives of EPA, OMB, the US Navy, and the US Army in support of
the pending designation.

While we understand that progress is being made towards the NPL
designation of the AFWTA, we write in support of this designation, and
to urge the OMB to quickly render a positive decision on the pending
designation.  The activities at the former training ranges on Vieques
and Culebra have left a contaminated legacy that will continue to
persist and threaten the health and safety of local residents so long as
clean up and remediation are delayed.  The cessation of training
activities has led to an improved quality of life for residents of these
islands, but concerns about the environment and public health continue
to affect the lives of many Puerto Ricans.

Nearly a year has passed since CERCLA was invoked for Superfund
designation of the AFWTA.  The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has pursued
good faith discussions with the US government, but the designation
remains pending.  Further delay is not warranted.  In order to quickly
commence the investigation, characterization and remediation of the
waste at the AFWTA, and to improve the environment and protect the
health and safety of local residents, we urge you to approve the
Commonwealth's NPL designation for the former Navy training ranges of
the AFWTA in Vieques and Culebra.

Sincerely,

________________________                               
________________________ 
Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá                                             Nancy
Pelosi 
Member of Congress                                              Member
of Congress 
Page 2 

________________________                               
________________________ 
José Serrano                                                    Nydia
Velazquez 
Member of Congress                                              Member
of Congress 

________________________                               
________________________ 
Luis Gutierrez                                                  Charles
Rangel 
Member of Congress                                              Member
of Congress 

________________________                               
________________________ 
Joseph Crowley                                                  Eliot
Engel 
Member of Congress                                              Member
of Congress 

________________________                               
________________________ 
Ciro Rodriguez                                                  John
Olver 
Member of Congress                                              Member
of Congress 

________________________                               
________________________ 
Earl Blumenauer                                         Hilda Solis 
Member of Congress                                              Member
of Congress 

________________________                               
________________________ 
Joe Baca                                                                
  Xavier Becerra 
Member of Congress                                              Member
of Congress 

# # #



-- 


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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