34 Closed Military Bases Are on EPA's List of Worst Toxic Waste Sites

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBCTO44N8E.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Thirty-four military bases shut down since 1988 are on the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list of worst toxic waste sites - most of them for at least 15 years - and not one is completely cleaned up.

As the latest base-closing commission begins its work, an examination by The Associated Press shows EPA concerned with incomplete pollution cleanups at more than 100 Defense Department facilities. Other military-related cleanups are being led solely by states.

Of the $23.3 billion in costs from four previous rounds of base closures and realignments, the Pentagon has spent $8.3 billion so far on pollution cleanups and other compliance with environmental laws, congressional investigators say. EPA officials say it will be at least a decade before many are completed - at a cost the government estimates will reach an additional $3.6 billion.

They anticipate more military facilities will be added to the Superfund list after the newest round of base closings is completed. The Pentagon plans to give a list of recommendations to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission on Friday, the first major step in the process.

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[rodeodance]

1. and the prez wants to build on this?

[iamjoy]

3. Sure He Does

The old NTC in Orlando closed about a decade ago. The government all but gave away the land to a developer who "promised" to include affordable housing and lots of public parks.

Well, the townhomes started at over $200,000, which at the time was well above the median house price in Central Florida. Not to mention that with wages here being what they are that's hardly affordable for the average worker.

And, then the developer decided they'd rather get the nice lot premiums for lake view etc so they scaled back the public access to parks and lakes.

So, let's summarize. The government gave the land away to a developer. The homes are over-priced and sitting on top of toxic waste. At some point these rich screwballs are going to start making a fuss about the environment and the taxpayers are going to foot the bill for cleaning it up (because you couldn't expect the developer or military to clean it up). The funds for the clean up will be diverted from roads and schools in other areas, or social programs to help the destitute. It's the new American Way.

[SodoffBush]

7. good info

thanks for taking the time...

[killbotfactory]

5. our gov't will house soldiers on this

what makes you think they care about average workers?

[chlamor]

2. There are now

14,000 contaminated military sites in the US, many located near low-imcome neighborhoods and communities of color.

The US Military is Destroying the Biosphere.

http://www.warresisters.org/leaflets.htm

I would highly recommend this most recent interview w/Leuren Moret on depleted uranium and the long term global consequences.

Depleted Uranium. A Scientific Perspective.
An Interview With LEUREN MORET, Geoscientist

: The incoming address of this article is :
   www.iconoclast-texas.com/News/19news03.htm

And This:
A Survivor’s Perpsective
Interview with Melissa Sterry, Gulf War Veteran who is surviving the effects of depleted uranium:
http://www.iconoclast-texas.com/News/19news05.htm

[davsand]

4. Welcome to my local area!

We have an old Air Force Base here in our county. It has been designated as a superfund site and not a THING has been done to clean it up...

http://cfpub1.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0501172

I do real estate assessments for the county property tax assessor. Part of my job is to value "leasehold" property (a specific term in Illinois Property Tax code that is, essentially, Government owned land that is leased out to individuals and used for private profit.)

I was sent out to value properties on the old Air Base one day. On my map it showed a leasehold to be valued that was WAY back on a small road. That particular road was chained off with great big toxic hazard signs on it. The lake that is in that same area had HUGE warning signs not to drink the water or eat anything out of that lake...

Needless to say, I did NOT put on a HazMat suit to go put a value on that parcel of property.

What is so pathetic is that there are large amounts of land up there that are in similar shape. The local village is scared to death that the Federal Government will default on cleaning that mess up and they will be stuck with it.


Laura

[XemaSab]

6. EPA site

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/