[CPEO-MEF] "HAVE A HEART - STOP FORT ORD TOXIC BURNINGS!" Protest Picnic

[iconsigns@aol.com]

LIFE 2000
protecting human health 
from toxic Military waste
MEDIA RELEASE               
February 8, 2001

For more Info call: 
Vienna Merritt Moore (831) 384-7658 

FORT ORD TOXIC BURNING PROTEST AND PICNIC SATURDAY, February 17, 2001

A gathering of people will meet to celebrate the Valentines Holiday and to 
protest the planned Burnings of contaminated land on the former Fort Ord near 
Monterey on Saturday, February 17, 2001, from 12 noon until 3 pm. The event 
called "HAVE A HEART - STOP FORT ORD TOXIC BURNINGS!" sponsored by Life 2000, 
will take place at Laguna Grande Park in Seaside. Speakers from local 
environmental groups such as Christine Bettencourt, Life 2000, Linda 
Millerick, (SOAR) Save our Air Resources and David Dilworth of (HOPE) Help 
our Peninsula's Environment will address the gathering. There will be 
informational booths with representatives to talk with. This is a family 
event so bring everyone for the food, face painting and  to support our 
health and environment.  

Vienna Merritt Moore, spokesperson for LIFE 2000 said "We just want people to 
know what is happening here. If the community thinks it's OK for the Army to 
burn high amounts hazardous and toxic waste next to their homes then so be 
it; but I think our community is smarter than that. Anyone can see from the 
Army's own maps that the same areas designated as burn sites have also been 
classified as hazardous and toxic waste sites."

LIFE 2000 Founder Christy Bettencourt said "Things are beginning to snowball 
in terms of awareness and that is a good thing because what you don't know 
can kill you! People are beginning to realize that burning explosives 
releases extremely dangerous chemicals into the air we breathe. Deadly smoke 
containing Dioxins, PCB's, furans, and heavy metals can fall on homes and 
schools hundreds of miles from Fort Ord. The known result of this air 
pollution is serious illness, cancers, birth defects, and death. Illness or 
death can occur even years after a single exposure."

This gathering is the second of many being planned to raise awareness about 
the plans by the Army to burn toxic waste and to provide support for those 
citizens concerned about it. It is also intended to send a clear message that 
there are a growing number of community members opposed to the Toxic Burnings.

"Have a Heart - Stop Fort Ord Toxic Burnings is the theme for the gathering" 
said Vienna Merritt Moore, an organizer of the event. "We are trying to find 
the common ground with people on this issue. That ground is that we love our 
children, our families and ourselves; also that our health has to come first. 
It follows that we need to live in a clean environment to be healthy. If the 
Burnings are allowed to happen our environment will be made substantially 
more toxic and less healthy for all of us". 


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Vienna Merritt Moore, Life 2000
e-mail: iconsigns@aol.com
831-384-7658 phone
831-384-6764 fax


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