[CPEO-MEF] Buried munitions on Cape Cod

[rhugus@cape.com]

 From October 8, 2000 Cape Cod Times:

Military officials on hot seat over bomb cleanup
Residents demand accountability after authorities fail to tell them 
of explosives found near a school.

                                        By KEVIN DENNEHY
                                        STAFF WRITER

  CAMP EDWARDS - Over the past couple of weeks, Lt. Col. Joseph 
Knott's telephone has barely stopped ringing.Since the military two 
weeks ago dug up about 1,000 Vietnam-era mortar shells from two 
burial pits less than a mile from the Forestdale School in Sandwich, 
parents and residents have been peppering Knott with questions. Why 
were the munitions buried? How many more are out there? Are the 
schoolchildren safe?

 From his temporary office on the base Friday, Knott tried to ease one 
mother's concerns. No munitions found near the school will be 
exploded while children are in class, he assured her. Residents won't 
ever be put  at risk; the National Guard will  keep the town informed 
of all  discoveries And more munitions will be  found.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency ordered the search for unexploded
ordnance, or UXOs. And on this base, where heavy artillery and 
mortars were fired for decades, searchers are likely to come across 
shells every 10 feet, Knott said. And besides the shells fired in 
training, it is becoming clear that many caches of munitions were 
simply buried on the ranges after they were used, whether by the 
military or its contractors.


For the rest of this article, go to:

  http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/militaryofficials8.htm

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