Blumenauer Seeks Increased Cleanup Funding for UXO

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

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May 20, 2004



The Honorable Jerry Lewis, Chairman                The Honorable John 
Murtha, Ranking Member

Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense           Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Defense

H-149 Capitol                                                    1016 
Longworth HOB

Washington, DC  20515                                     Washington, DC  20515



Dear Chairman Lewis and Ranking Member Murtha:

 As you develop the FY05 Defense Appropriations bill, we urge you to 
increase funding for the clean up of unexploded ordnance (UXO) on former 
Department of Defense sites.  It is our understanding that the 
administration has requested $100 million for domestic UXO munitions 
response in the Defense Environmental Response Account for FY 2005.  In 
line with a recommendation from the January 2004 Defense Science Board Task 
Force on Unexploded Ordnance, created by the Deputy Undersecretary of 
Defense, we request that this funding be doubled, to a total of $200 million.

 We also request that you support an increase in funding for UXO research 
and development accounts to more quickly develop safer and cheaper 
technology for dealing with UXO.  A relatively small increase in current 
investment could save tens of billions of dollars in UXO costs over the mid 
to far term.  The Defense Science Board has recommended a doubling of UXO 
Research and Development funding to a total of $80 million.

 Among the many threats to the security and safety of the American people, 
the hazard of unexploded ordnance (UXO) - bombs and shells that failed to 
explode during military training or testing - may be found on or buried 
under the surface of more than 39 million acres of former military 
properties.  UXO can be found in almost every congressional district across 
the country.  Failure or delay in cleaning up these sites poses a serious 
threat to the security and safety of the American people.

In addition to the Defense Science Board Task Force, a recent General 
Accounting Report also underlines the importance of fully funding UXO 
cleanup efforts.  In January of 2004, the GAO found that at the current 
rate of funding, removing unexploded munitions and hazardous waste could 
take more than 300 years. The Department of Defense's latest estimate for 
the cost of cleanup is anywhere from $23 billion to $104 billion.  Cleaning 
up these areas will allow us to return millions of acres to communities and 
local tax rolls or create scenic and recreational open space.

 Increased funding can also help to stimulate the growth of a healthy, 
competitive private sector that will help develop innovations and focus 
resources on cleanup.  In turn, stimulating private industry will increase 
its investments in new technologies that, when combined with government 
investments, will result in safer, more cost-effective solutions and 
technologies to help clean up these UXO sites.

 Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.  We appreciate your 
consideration and look forward to working with you to increase UXO funding 
in the FY05 Defense Appropriations bill.

Sincerely,

 Blumenauer, Manzullo, Farr, Gary Miller, Ed Case, Michael Honda, Jim 
McDermott, Barbara Lee, Tom Lantos, Tammy Baldwin, Raul Grijalva, Sue 
Kelly, McCollum, Jim Davis, Edward Markey, Waxman, Evans, McGovern, 
Delahunt, Brad Miller




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aimee R. Houghton
Associate Director, CPEO
1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC  20036
tel: 202-452-8039; fax: 202-452-8095
Email: aimeeh@cpeo.org
www.cpeo.org
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