Navy's Nose Grows Lonnnng On Depleted Uranium!

Navy Claims It's Clearing Out DU Inventory and Cleaning Up Radioactive Mess at Naval Magazine -

Hint... I Wouldn't Hold My Breath!

Is there anyone out there silly enough to believe this Rear Admiral's statements about DU leaving our Navy's inventory? Ohhhh Puhhhleez!

While abolishing the use of radioactive Uranium munitions might indeed be the heart-felt intent of this particular Rear Admiral, the facts are somewhat different. For example, the Department of the Navy's budget appropriations from 2005 to 2008 included a whole lot of 25 mm Depleted Uranium ammo within its more than $773 Million budgeted expenses for procurement of the Marine Corps' Light Armor Vehicles upgraded Lethality Program.

Yes, you read that right. There is an actual Progam developed to upgrade the Lethality of the Light Armored Vehicles the Navy has been procuring for its very own. I guess the old armored vehicles were not deadly enough? Now, mind you, we're not even talking bombs and missiles here!

And as if that's not sufficiently incriminating? The US Department of Navy website itself states that the Naval Magazine at Indian Island includes in its mission "to include, operational risk management, depleted uranium management." Why in the world would the Navy include in its December 6, 2007 Press Release its mission of "management" of Depleted Uranium if the inventory was to be leaving in the upcoming year?  Common sense tells us you would never even need to "manage" that which is not even going to be there!

And as far as the "clean up" process of the Depleted Uranium at this Washington Naval site, is anyone willing to hold his/her breath till our War Department cleans up its nuclear mess?

How bout try... uh... maybe Never!

The feds have already got 21,000 contaminated sites on their list  for clean-up - and that's not even including the 36,000 dirty sites held by the Departments of [Nuclear] Energy and the Interior. All in all, we're looking at up to $388 Billion in remediation costs. That's sure a whole lot of fill dirt indeed!

Sorry, Port Townsend, but if you want a decontaminated place to live that doesn't glow in the dark? You're going to need to sit down and take a number. And here's hoping the chair in which you are seated is mighty comfy, because you sure are going to be sitting there a spell!

But, there is good news for this particular state. As I wrote recently, with regard to Washington activists preventing a Uranium enrichment plant from being built by getting on the Governor's case about Depleted Uranium, http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_27434.shtml  if anyone can get the military to clean up its hot and dirty radioactive filth, it's certainly more than likely going to be Washington state!

Cathy Garger

 

Navy developing plan to deal with reduced ferry service, Hood Canal Bridge closure

From the PDN:   By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News PORT TOWNSEND — Navy personnel in the area heavily depend on ferries and the Hood Canal Bridge to commute to and from bases on Whidbey Island, Indian Island and in Kitsap County, the region's commander said Monday. So the reduction in ferry service to Whidbey Island as well as next year's six-week Hood Canal Bridge closure has the Navy concerned. "We have a lot of folks on both sides who work on the other side," said Rear Adm. James Symonds, addressing more than 50 attending the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce weekly luncheon at Fort Worden State Park Commons. "We have folks who travel from the Peninsula up to Whidbey almost every day." The Navy's concern is not just the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry which connects Whidbey Island with the North Olympic Peninsula. "It's the fleet in general," said Symonds. New ferries on fast track For this reason and others, he said he believes the state and Gov. Chris Gregoire have fast-tracked construction of two 60-car Island Home-class ferries for the Port Townsend-Keystone route.  The admiral said a Navy team was working out a transportation strategy during the May-June 2009 closure of Hood Canal Bridge to replace the floating span's east half. Symonds said about 15,000 Navy vehicles cross the bridge in a year. Cmdr. George Whitbred, skipper of Naval Magazine Indian Island, will be involved in the bridge closure transportation process, Symonds said. Addressing audience question, Symonds said the Navy at Indian Island was in the process of cleaning up weapons containing depleted uranium, a longtime issue with many Port Townsend residents. "Depleted uranium eventually will be banned," Symonds said. "It's leaving the inventory as we speak." David Jenkins, Olympic Peninsula Veterans for Peace president, asked Symonds when the Navy would release a risk assessment of Naval Magazine Indian Island. Symonds said he did not know the answer, but he would look into the process to find out. http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080708/NEWS/807080306