Vieques Lagoons Covered by Clean Water Act

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

It appears that the three lagoons on the eastern end of the 
island of Vieques are covered by EPA water quality regulations, 
states an article today's (9/2/99) edition of the San Juan Star. 
The lagoons are located right in the middle of land the Navy uses 
for bombing and target practice at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons 
Training Facility on Vieques.

The article states:

"According to preliminary findings of a multi-media inspection 
conducted at the Navy's Vieques facilities on August 17-19 
bombing of the "salt flats" on the target range ought to be 
regulated under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination 
System or NPDES."

"Based on a review of National Wetlands Inventory maps and soil 
surveys of the area, the inland lagoons [salt flats] are wetlands 
and therefore considered waters of the U.S.  Therefore these 
areas are regulated under NPDES."

According to the article the Navy currently does no sampling of 
the lagoons when bombs strike as required by NPDES.

Aimee Houghton
Associate Director, CPEO
122 C Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC  20001-2109
tel: 202-662-1888; fax: 202-621825
Email: aimeeh@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org