Naval Air Station Alameda, California

[marty martinson <martymartinson@yahoo.com>]

                                                     ** PRESS RELEASE **

NAVY OFFICIALS ADMIT TO VIOLATING SAFETY AND HEALTH LAWS AT FORMER NAVAL
AIR STATION ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

UNDER SECRETARY OF THE NAVY RESPONDS TO INDEPENDENT FEDERAL  INQUIRY
In a 7 September 1999 letter to the Office of Special Counsel, Secretary
Hultin has acknowledged that the Navy had violated several safety and
health regulations first made public by the NAS Alameda firefighters  in
1996 before the Base closed. After a Navy Inspector General investigation
failed to substantiate the claims of former firefighters,
they requested assistance from the Office of Special Counsel, an
independent  federal  investigative agency. Only after a third-party review
 did the Navy finally admit to violating any laws.The Navy admitted to
violating OSHA safety regulations as well as a 1990 Navy letter written to
the California Dept. of Health Services assuring that  notice would be
provided to  all civilian, military and contractor personnel working  near
or at any of the then identified
Base Installation Restoration Sites which were either confirmed or
potentially contaminated with hazardous wastes.

FIREFIGHTERS CONCERNED OVER LONG-TERM UNPROTECTED EXPOSURE
Although the NAS Alameda firefighters’ work sites were known by Navy
officials as early as 1983  to be contaminated, this  information was
withheld. From the mid 1970’s until early 1994 fire department  personnel
regularly worked in these areas without having any knowledge of the
contamination. Navy records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act
identified the various chemicals of concern as being PCB’s, lead,
pesticides, mercury, furans, dioxins and hydrocarbons.

FORMER BASE FIREFIGHTERS PLEDGE TO HOLD NAVY ACCOUNTABLE
Former NAS Fire Captain Brook Beesley, operator of a federal employee
consultation business, stated  “ I see this type of thing all the time.
These huge DOD agencies fail to respond, use delay tactics, and rarely hold
their own people accountable. Only when forced to respond to the OSC did
the Navy finally admit to what we knew in 1996.
The flawed Navy IG report is a classic example of what lengths the Navy
will go to in order to avoid being held culpable. We intend to explore all
options available to us, including additional federal independent
investigation and litigation”.

Former NAS Fire Lieutenant Marty Martinson says “The Navy had a moral,
ethical and legal  obligation to provide us with a workplace free from
chemical contamination. With so many closed military bases in the San
Francisco bay area, there needs to be better oversight to ensure that  past
DOD workers are advised of any chemicals they may have been exposed to.
Some adverse health effects may take years to show up.  It is very
important to have all work-related chemical exposure documented in your
health records. It is also the law. I strongly urge all former DOD workers
to contact their elected officials if they have any questions. Mr. Beesley
and myself have been asked by the OSC to comment on this matter to  the
Secretary of the Navy, the President, and the appropriate congressional
oversight committees. We will lobby on behalf of all former bay area DOD
employees to ensure that the Government notifies
past employees of chemical exposure, prepare statements for individual
medical records, and provide testing and inoculation when necessary”.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:                           
Brook Beesley,
BLB Consulting     
(510) 638-6263

Marty Martinson     
(707) 575-0222
martymartinson@yahoo.com