Earl Blumenauer: “this week, with the consideration of the defense authorization legislation and the military quality of life…”

“this week, with the consideration of the defense authorization legislation and the military quality of life appropriation, Congress should deal with the hidden issue behind base closure: The toxic legacy of unexploded bombs and hazardous pollution left behind on our military bases. This is part of a much larger problem. The Defense Science Board has reported that unexploded bombs contaminate an area bigger than the States of Maryland, and Massachusetts combined. One out of ten Americans live within 10 miles of a former or current military site that contains hazardous waste identified for clean-up under the Federal Super Fund programs. Indeed, 34 bases shut down since 1988 are still on the EPA Super Fund lists of worst toxic waste sites. Ten of these sites have groundwater mitigation contaminants that are not fully under control. One of the worst examples that comes to mind is the Massachusetts Military Reservation, a source of perchlorate, a toxic chemical, has contaminated 70 percent of Cape Cod's water supply, and more than 1,000 unexploded bombs have been discovered, some less than a half a mile from an elementary school. Former military installations with unexploded bombs are located in hundreds of communities across the country. And this has serious consequences.…”