Bombs Away, Vieques Unearths Toxic Navy Trash

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Puerto Rico
COMMONDREAMS.ORG
Bombs Away, Vieques Unearths Toxic Navy Trash
by Carmelo Ruiz
Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2003

SAN JUAN - Now that the U.S. Navy is gone, residents of the Puerto Rican
island-town of Vieques face pressing environmental problems.

In the last four years the island's 10,000 residents, together with
Puerto Ricans from the main island and peace activists from around the
world, carried out a relentless civil disobedience campaign against the
Navy, which for decades used the island as a munitions depot and firing
range.

The military left officially May 1. But now Vieques must deal with the
daunting question of what to do about the toxic mess caused by decades
of military activity. Weapons tested in the firing range included highly
polluting depleted uranium ammunition.

Most of the former military lands -- which include about 80 percent of
the island -- are now the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, administered
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).

Measuring 7,527 ha (of the island's total 13,355 ha), it is the largest
wilderness refuge in all of Puerto Rico, which is a commonwealth of the
United States whose residents have U.S. citizenship.

Many who opposed the Navy presence find it particularly galling that the
lands they struggled for have been transferred to another U.S.
government agency, instead of being returned to the people of Vieques.
Local fishermen complain that FWS will not allow them to fish in the
refuge, because of the danger posed by unexploded ordnances.

"This is the same agency that stood by while the Navy bombed the flora,
fauna and wilderness, without raising a finger in protest, and now
they're fining people for fishing crabs. This is insulting and
completely unacceptable," declared Robert Rabin, spokesperson of the
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques.

But Vieques FWS employees interviewed by IPS, most of whom are Puerto
Ricans, stressed that they are committed to protecting the natural
resources of the lands they administer.

Refuge Manager Oscar Díaz said he does not want to see the lands
destroyed by the uncontrolled construction of beachside mansions and
tourist resorts now occurring on the main island.

"This refuge has a dry forest. That's a treasure that must be preserved
because 94 percent of all dry forest in Puerto Rico has been destroyed,"
added Díaz.

In what many observers consider a bizarre twist, this wilderness refuge
is simultaneously a toxic disaster area. Earlier this month the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended that the lands and
marine areas polluted by the Navy be declared a Superfund site.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1231-03.htm

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