Experts discuss dispute over Hamilton plume

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

California
MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL
Experts discuss dispute over Hamilton plume
By Jennifer Gollan, IJ reporter
January 21, 2004

Concern about a toxic underground plume at Hamilton Field drew more than
60 people to a forum last night prompted by city assertions that the
plume was within 100 feet of the Novato Charter School and the North Bay
Children's Center.

A panel of officials from the Navy, state regulatory agencies, the
Novato Unified School District and scientists hired by Novato took
questions from parents and residents at a session in school offices.

The meeting followed a Jan. 4 Independent Journal report that detailed
the recent detection of low levels of a suspected carcinogen, MTBE, or
methyl tertiary butyl ether, within 100 feet of the school and day care
center at the former Navy gas station at the corner of Main Gate Road
and C Street.

City officials concurred with regulatory agencies and the Navy, which
owns the former Navy gas station where the plume originated, that the
area does not pose a health or environmental risk to the children or
staff at the school.

Still, a deep fissure remains between Novato City Manager Rod Wood,
absent from yesterday's meeting, and the Navy over whether the plume is
moving toward the school and day care center. Diverging opinions on the
movement of the plume are driven in part by differing interpretations of
an August 2003 Navy report.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.marinij.com/Stories/0,1413,234~24407~1905219,00.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CPEO: A DECADE OF SUCCESS.  Your generous support will ensure that our 
important work on military and environmental issues will continue.  
Please consider one of our donation options.  Thank you.
http://www.groundspring.org/donate/index.cfm?ID=2086-0|721-0