[CPEO-MEF] Cleanup Progress at Nomans Island

[joelf@cape.com]

Folks,

About 18 months ago, Bill Clinton announced that cleanup of effects 
of Naval bombardment of Vieques would conform to the standard of S. 
Weymouth. Environmental activists on Cape Cod were dismayed since, to 
our knowledge, no bombing ever occurred at the S. Weymouth Naval Air 
Station.
Turned out Clinton was actually talking about Nomans Island, about 
five miles off the coast of Marthas Vineyard. Investigation showed 
that the supposed "standard" was nothing more than the most cursory 
cleanup of Naval debris.

Clinton's statement brought about meetings between activists and 
Massachusetts environmental officials and has resulted in a more 
positive approach to cleanup by the Navy, a greater respect for 
affected Native Americans. See the article in The Cape Cod Times 
whose first paragraphs are copied below. For whole article download 
at:

http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/tribeseeks20.htm

Cape Cod Times June 20, 2001
		Tribe seeks voice in Nomans' future
                                   A state grant will help the 
Wampanoag protect historic interests on the island
                                                         after cleanup.

                                  By JAMES KINSELLA
                                  STAFF WRITER
                                  AQUINNAH - The Aquinnah Wampanoag 
have secured a $10,000
                                  grant to increase community 
involvement in the cleanup of
                                  Nomans Land island.

                                  The state Department of 
Environmental Protection provided the
                                  Technical Assistance Grant through 
the Bureau of Waste Site
                                  Cleanup.

                                  Nomans Land, part of the town of 
Chilmark, is a 628-acre island
                                  2.7 miles off the southern coast of 
Martha's Vineyard.

                                  The U.S. Navy used Nomans Land for 
bombing target practice
                                  from 1943 to 1996.

                                  The Navy has been removing 
contaminated soil from the island,
                                  which now is owned by the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service.

                                  The Navy also has formed a 
"Technical Review Committee" to
                                  inspect the environmental cleanup of 
the island. Concerns include
                                  unexploded ordnance that may remain 
on the island.

                                  The Aquinnah Wampanoag have 
expressed an interest in the
                                  cleanup and the island's future use.

                                                    Link to tribe's past
                                  Tribal ranger Jeffrey Day said the 
tribe has concerns about what
                                  the presence of explosive 
contaminants on the island may mean
                                  for the tribal members living nearby 
on the Vineyard.

                                  "We always are interested in 
protecting the health of tribal
                                  members," Day said.
-- 
Joel Feigenbaum
24 Pond View Drive
E. Sandwich MA 02537
(508)-833-0144

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