[CPEO-MEF] Work to clean Cape Cod pollution continues

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Work to clean Cape Cod pollution continues as Pentagon seeks 
environmental exemptions 

By Melissa B. Robinson, Associated Press, 5/27/2002 12:34
WASHINGTON (AP) Five years of investigation at the Massachusetts 
Military Reservation on Cape Cod has yielded evidence that groundwater 
pollution is more extensive than even the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency thought when it ordered the military to look into the problem. 

Now, environmental experts are wondering if there's enough clean water 
left on the upper Cape to correct a shortfall in drinking water for 
local residents, due to base pollution, that could reach 11 million 
gallons per day by 2020. 

''This was an area that was the hope for the future of the Cape's water 
supply,'' said Betsy Higgins, director of environmental review for EPA's 
New England office. ''They're finding a lot more contamination than 
anyone ever thought we would find.'' 

The reservation is a 22,000-acre military base that's been used for 
training by the Army, Air Force and National Guard since 1911. 

Underneath is Cape Cod's sole source aquifer, the only drinking water 
source for the Cape's 200,000 year-round and 500,000 seasonal residents. 
Sandy soil makes the aquifer vulnerable to contamination, which can 
travel quickly. 

The EPA's precedent-setting cleanup order in 2000 marking the first time 
the military was required to clean an active training ground is focused 
on Camp Edwards, an Army National Guard training range and impact area 
occupying the northern 15,000 acres. Otis Air National Guard Base 
occupies the southern third of the area. 

Progress has been made since 1997, when the EPA first ordered the 
investigation that led to the cleanup. The Guard took a series of 
immediate actions to contain pollution, and feasibility studies are 
ongoing in five major cleanup areas. 

This article can be viewed in its entirety at:
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/147/economy/Work_to_clean_Cape_Cod_polluti:.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~