[CPEO-MEF] The Navy, a top polluter, botched cleanup

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

[Washington]
The Navy, a top polluter, botched cleanup
By ROBERT McCLURE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Monday, November 18, 2002

BREMERTON -- After polluting Sinclair Inlet for most of a century, it
seemed that the U.S. Navy had finally cleaned up its act. The service
dug up contaminated mud and sand under its docks here, and even crowed
about saving millions on the job.

But last month, Navy officials had to admit that the work had spread
contaminants over a large portion of the inlet, including state-owned
bay bottom where they had been refused permission to dump.

The Navy has a proud history here, building and repairing ships that
helped the nation win two world wars. But it has also been a prolific
polluter -- responsible for more than a dozen of the most contaminated
spots around Puget Sound.

Much of the PCB contamination poisoning the Sound can be traced to naval
operations. The highly toxic chemical has worked its way up the food
chain to orcas, damaging their ability to reproduce.

This article can be viewed at:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/95874_navy18.shtml

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