[CPEO-MEF] Spring Valley (DC) burial pit 3

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

The 'last known burial pit'

By Brett Zongker
Washington Times (DC)
November 2, 2007

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun a major dig near American 
University in Northwest for World War I chemical munitions, including 
artillery that might contain such toxic agents as mustard gas.

It's the fourth excavation on or near the campus in the affluent Spring 
Valley neighborhood in nearly 15 years, ever since the discovery of 
disposal pits from the Army's former chemical-warfare station at the 
university.

The station was used for developing and testing weapons.

The latest site, a home between the South Korean ambassador's residence 
and the former university president's home, is the "last known burial 
pit," said Dan Noble, project manager for the Army Corps' Spring Valley 
cleanup.

A metal containment structure was built over the pit with 
blast-resistant walls, along with a decontamination tent in the front 
yard of the house, which is now owned by the university. Workers are 
wearing hazardous-materials suits and breathing systems while they dig — 
first with a mechanical shovel and then slowly by hand when they reach 
the munitions. Air within the structure will be monitored continuously, 
Mr. Noble said.

...

For the entire article, see
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071102/METRO/111020065/1004

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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