Massachusetts Military Reservation

["Richard Hugus" <rhugus@cape.com>]

>To the Military Toxics Community
>From The Alliance for Base Cleanup, Massachusetts Military Reservation

EPA's Region 1 Administrator, John DeVillars, issued an order recently that
all firing into the impact area of Camp Edwards on the Massachusetts
Military Reservation cease pending results of a study which will determine
the safety of this firing to the environment and human health. RDX and TNT
have already been found in the groundwater underneath the impact area,
which lies at the top of Upper Cape Cod's sole-source aquifer. The four
towns around the base--Falmouth, Mashpee, Bourne, and Sandwich--are looking
to this region in the northern part of the base to find new water supplies
to replace those already lost to groundwater pollution emanating from the
southern part of the base. It is vital that the firing of mortars,
artillery, rifles, machine guns, anti-tank weapons, pyrotechnics, and
demolition charges cease now both in order to conduct a study and in order
to protect this senstive area at the top of the aquifer. This firing has
gone on without delay or regulsation since before World War II.

At this point, fearing a national and international precedent, the Pentagon
is out in full force to stop DeVillars' order, and has sent an appeal to
Carol Browner, head of EPA in Washington. Browner is expected to make a
decision on the appeal within a month.

Letters of support from members of other communities across the United
States suffering the effects of Army or Army National Guard firing range
impact areas would be a great help to us, and, if we win, to you. Letters
should be sent to your Congressmen urging them to ask Carol Browner to
support the decision of EPA's Region 1 administrator for a cease fire on
Cape Cod.

Richard Hugus
Otis Conversion project