[CPEO-MEF] DU at Jefferson Proving Ground

[Richard Hill <phill@venus.net>]

Attached is an html version of a newsletter I am putting together for our
local environmental group members.  It deals with the Army's intention of
walking away from the 150,000 pounds of DU lying on and in the soil at
Jefferson Proving Ground in southeastern Indiana.

The Army intends to do no remediation, no monitoring, and to rely on
institutional controls to ensure no future human use of the area.

Richard Hill
President, Save the Valley, Inc.



Special Report and Request for Action on Depleted Uranium at = Jefferson
Proving Ground 




Important Meeting about DU at JPG - Madison/Jefferson Co. Public = Library,
Tues., Feb. 6, 7pm



This will be a meeting of the JPG Restoration Advisory Board (RAB). = One
important item on the agenda will be the Nuclear Regulatory = Commission
(NRC) and the Army presentation of information about the = termination of the
JPG Depleted Uranium license. It is very important = that people who have
concerns or questions about this plan attend this = meeting to express their
interests. Your concerns and questions could = have an impact on any future
cleanup, monitoring, and site restriction = plans.=20 

More information about the DU at JPG and the Army's license = termination
plan is included in this newsletter. Please read on.=20 

Depleted Uranium: Its Nature and Possible Health Effects




Depleted uranium (DU) is the byproduct of the process = for converting
("enriching") natural uranium for use as = nuclear fuel or nuclear weapons.
When natural uranium ore is mined it is = not sufficiently radioactive to be
used in nuclear power reactors or for = nuclear weapons. To overcome this,
the natural uranium is enriched -- = meaning that it is processed to produce
uranium that contains more of = the more radioactive U-235. (Natural uranium
is mostly a less = radioactive form, U-238, with less than one percent U-235,
and a trace = of U-234). This enrichment process leaves behind a byproduct
that = contains somewhat less of the U-235 and more of the U-238. Depleted =
uranium is approximately one-half as radioactive as natural uranium. One =
major use of the DU is for armor-piercing weapons. These are the type of =
weapons that were tested at JPG.=20 

NU =3D Natural Uranium EU =3D Enriched for Fuel = Reactors DU =3D Depleted
Uranium=20 

Besides being slightly radioactive, DU is a heavy metal. DU's = properties as
a heavy metal may well be more of a cause for concern than = its
radioactivity. According to a Department of Defense Environmental = Exposure
Report on Depleted Uranium Exposure in the Gulf, "The effects on the kidney
from uranium resemble the toxic = effects caused by other heavy metals, such
as lead or cadmium." = (1)=20 

The DoD report referenced above states: "Research = does not show a clear
threshold dose for cancers from radiation, . . = ." (1) While the radiation
emitted from DU may be relatively low, = there are many experts who believe
that there is really no threshold = dose for radiation. In other words, any
amount of radiation exposure can = contribute to an increase in the
likelihood of cancer.=20 

We have also been following recent news from Europe = about the illnesses
experienced by NATO soldiers in the Balkans who were = in areas in which DU
weapons were used. Several of these Italian and = French soldiers have been
diagnosed with leukemia. While there is not = yet a clear causal relationship
between these cancers and DU exposure in = these soldiers, the Italian and
French governments have asked for more = thorough research of that
possibility.=20 

Additionally, there have been reports of a drastic = increase in cancers
among Iraqi children since the Gulf War where DU = weapons were also used.
Also, a British scientist has expressed the = contention that as many as
10,000 extra deaths from cancer may result = from the use of DU weapons in
the Balkan war. =20 

It must be said that there are a vast array of = scientific opinions as to
whether DU may be the cause of these health = effects. However, we firmly
believe that to err on the side of caution = is the right thing to do.=20 

(1) Environmental Exposure Report Depleted Uranium in the Gulf, = (1998, July
31), Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses = , U.S.
Department of Defense.=20 

DU Testing at JPG



It is estimated that approximately 150,000 pounds of DU remain in a =
1250-acre area of JPG. The DU rounds or penetrators tested were armor =
piercing weapons. These penetrators are high-speed, heavy, and very hard =
projectiles. They perform their armor piercing function due to this = speed,
weight, and hardness. They do not produce nuclear explosions. = They were
tested against soft cloth targets to determine the accuracy of = the
projectile and ultimately came to rest inside the DU impact range, = also
called the Delta Impact Area.=20 

This Delta Impact Area is in the southern section of what is now the = Big
Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. Big Creek, one of the major creeks in =
Jefferson County, runs directly through the Delta Impact Area. Since Big =
Creek runs from east to west, the DU is of particular concern to persons =
living close to Big Creek to the west of JPG.=20 

DU penetrators were tested at JPG beginning in 1983 and continued for = about
ten years when JPG was closed as part of the Base Realignment and = Closure
program to streamline military operations and = transfer land and facilities
to civilian use, where possible.
The Delta Impact Area, being north of the firing line at JPG, is = riddled
not only with DU, but also with conventional Unexploded Ordnance = (UXO).
Upon learning of the proposal to do this testing, STV questioned = the
rationality of such testing. We recommended (to no avail) that the = DU
should at least be fired into a soft backstop area such as a huge = mound of
sand or other similar material so that the rounds would not be = as likely to
be fragmented and could be more easily retrieved.=20 

Many of the DU rounds have been fragmented by collision with objects = in the
soil (other DU rounds, conventional UXO, etc.). Other DU rounds = are buried
in the soil. We are aware that during the DU testing period = that some of
the rounds were retrieved to be "recycled" into = more rounds. These
retrieved rounds would have been shipped off to other = facilities for
recycling, as there was no manufacturing of the rounds at = JPG.=20 

The Army's Plans for the DU Area at JPG




History of the Decommissioning Plan=20 

In order to test the DU weapons at JPG, the Army was required to = obtain a
license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). = Included in the
terms of this license were such things as how much of = the material was to
be tested, what the radiological impact would be, = and plans outlining the
monitoring for DU in groundwater and the = environment in general.=20 

Since these weapons are no longer being tested, the Army is = requesting
permission from the NRC to terminate that license. One part = of this license
termination process is the development of a = Decommissioning Plan (DP) by
the Army. In late 1999 the Army submitted a = DP to the NRC. STV found what
we believed to be numerous problems with = this DP (mostly concerning its
vagueness in many areas). Consequently, = STV requested a hearing on the
plan. As a result of our action, the Army = decided to revise their plan.=20 

The Current Plan=20 

While the revised DP has not yet been released for STV or public = comment,
the Army this month (January 2001) has issued a Summary Sheet = outlining the
major points of their plan. This revised DP can be = summarized as: no
remediation (cleanup), no monitoring, and the use of = "institutional
controls" to ensure that the site is restricted = from future human use.
Needless to say, STV has numerous problems with = this.=20 

No Remediation=20 

The Army states that the presence of conventional unexploded ordnance = (UXO)
in the area prohibits any cleanup of the DU. We contend that at = least some
of the DU that lies at or near the surface of the ground = could be
retrieved. In order to prevent possible injury to workers, this = retrieval
may be conducted by using robotic machines. Such machines = exist. Using
robotic "arms" and "hands" to pick up = items, they commonly travel using a
system similar to that of a small = tank. The machines are equipped with
remote controls and cameras for = guidance by workers at a distance. It may
be possible to cleanup = relatively small sections of the DU area over a
period of years, = beginning with the most contaminated areas first.=20 

No Monitoring=20 

Currently, under the NRC license, the Army does groundwater = monitoring
tests for DU around the DU area every six months. The revised = DP calls for
ceasing this monitoring once the license is terminated. STV = asserts that
monitoring of the groundwater, as well as surface waters = (remember the
presence of Big Creek) should be continued. Perhaps the = frequency of
monitoring could be decreased. However, to ensure that the = DU is not
migrating to areas outside of JPG, we feel that it is = necessary to at least
continue some kind of monitoring program.=20 

Uranium has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. This means that it will = be
around and continue to be radioactive for a long, long time. = Considering
the possible health issues that have been raised, we believe = that the Army
should take this precautionary measure. Anything less = would be a gross
disservice to the citizens of Jefferson County.=20 

Institutional Controls for Restricted Use=20 

These controls will include restrictions against any disturbance of = the
soil, ground, or groundwater for any purpose. Also, the area is not = to be
used for any type of housing or residences. It also appears that = the
perimeter fence around the northern section of JPG will be the = primary
deterrent for accidental or intentional, unauthorized entry into = the
area.=20 

While the Army is retaining ownership of the area north of the firing = line,
these controls appear to put a great amount of responsibility upon = the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service and local law enforcement to ensure = that
trespassing does not occur. We would urge the local officials to = take a
very close look at what they are being expected to do.=20 

What You Can Do



1. Attend the JPG Restoration Advisory Board Meeting at the =
Madison/Jefferson County Public Library on Tuesday, February 6, 7 p.m.. = A
large crowd will impress upon the Army and the NRC that there is = interest
and concern on this subject. It will be even better, if you can = make a few
comments at the meeting.=20 

2. Call JPG at 812-273-2551 or 2552 and request a copy of the Army's = DU
Summary Sheet. The more calls they receive, the more interest they = will
see. Included with the DU Summary Sheet is a list of ways that you = may make
comments or questions. We would urge you to do this.=20 

3. Contact other people, including city, county, state, and federal =
officials to express your concern and urge them to get involved. =20 

Parting Thought=20 

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who = points out how the strong
man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could = have done them better. 

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who errs and =
comes short again and because there is no effort without error and =
shortcomings, who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a = worthy
cause who at the best knows in the end the high achievement of = triumph and
who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his = place shall never
be with those timid and cold souls who know neither = victory nor defeat..."

Theodore Roosevelt=20 



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