Nothing new here, they are doing the same thing at Hanford in our state. Only it is radiation tainted.

Yeah, and as I was driving home just now the sky out here is covered with white chem trails. No kidding. Everybody is sick with allergies and respiratory stuff. 3 guesses where it's all coming from.

I went to infantry school at LeJeune in '81. Lucky me, I almost missed it.

Health officials and lawmakers complain that the Defense Department has delayed disclosure of important documents during investigations into the health impact of water contaminated by a dry cleaner adjacent to Camp Lejeune and by the base's past industrial activities.

"We wouldn't be investigating this disgraceful situation if (the
Department of Defense) had put half as much effort into cleaning up the water as it has into stonewalling those who drank it," said Rep. John Dingell (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A subcommittee expects to conduct an oversight hearing Tuesday, the first in a broader review by Democrats investigating the Pentagon's environmental record.

The scrutiny comes as federal regulators consider whether to tighten restrictions on solvents known as TCE, trichloroethylene, and PCE, tetrachloroethylene, common contaminants at military and private industrial sites.
..
"The health and safety of our Marines and their dependents is of primary concern to the Marine Corps," the service said in a statement. "Base officials provided drinking water consistent with industry practices at the time."
..
Camp Lejeune's population is believed the largest ever exposed to the solvents at such high levels. The
Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing cleanups at more than 150 military installations polluted by the same chemicals. Drinking water usually was unaffected, but underground contamination migrated to surrounding neighborhoods and wells at some sites.
..
"They drag it out and by the time you get them all done, everybody would be dead anyway," he said. "That's the whole purpose of their delaying tactics and it's succeeding."

I live about 50 miles from Lejeune.

Lot's of active and ex Marines around.

It's Semper Fi as usual, but they don't seem so happy about the Bush admin these days.

Lot's of cold stares at the TV when he is on in a bar.

Bush's fault!

Won't any patriotic Republicans defend their industrial waste industry, the DOD's efforts to ignore and gut environmental protection and the permanent poisoning of everything dependant upon the water?

Oh, it was a mistake? The tree-hugging hippy liberals made you do it? Indeed.

I wish an anthrax pizza would occur on Rummy's dinnerplate by mistake.. He's still in charge at DOD, btw.

Bush's fault!
Posted by ride_on at 2007-06-12 12:08 AM

Uh, if you are meaning that 30 years of Republican-ignored environmental protection LAWS, RULES AND COMMON SENSE have brought this problem to over 150 military bases, surrounding neighborhoods and thousands of civilians and military personel - you fucking bet it's "Bush's fault!"

Capitalisim does have a few negative side affects. I would guess that drinking water from Lejeune is better that ANY water from China or India.
Too bad R8 doesn't live near Lejeune.
Smile R8...you little POS
Posted by Beachbuzz at 2007-06-12 12:22 AM

Speaking of a "little piece of shit", don't you mean that negative effects of Department Of Defense purposfully poisoning marines is dead marines? Goodness, you are a negative nelly!

If China poisons fewer - we win! Nice "logic", Hal.

I would guess that drinking water from Lejeune is better that ANY water from China or India....

Well, that makes me feel better knowing that our own drinking water might be just one or two levels better than two third world countries that have absolutely no anti-pollution laws on their books.

Red and Chris - when was the last time your water was tested?

So the DOD knew all along and decided to ignore EPA?

I feel bad for those affected by the water problems, but I don't believe it was puroposeful.

Capitalism didn't poison the water; lazy, corrupt and ineffectual public officials let it happen. I'm sick of people always excusing this shit because of economic expediency - it doesn't have to be that way.

All those terrible environmental laws and regulations haven't driven us back into the stone age or anything. You can build and manufacture and transport without poisoning the freaking groundwater. And if you do, you need to get used to the fact that the people who drink that groundwater have a RIGHT to fuck you up when they find out.

Wha??? Terrible environmental laws and regulations? Naaaa must be global warming! /sarc off
Seriously , we need to put our focus not on Global warming but on lax environmental policies.Sad is the day when someone cant swim in a lake or river because of contamination , or when raw sewage is being dumped into our lakes and rivers.Why dont i hear public outcry from the "globalnazi's"?

Red and Chris - when was the last time your water was tested?
So the DOD knew all along and decided to ignore EPA?
I feel bad for those affected by the water problems, but I don't believe it was puroposeful.
Posted by Beachbuzz at 2007-06-12 12:54 AM

First, I doubt you "feel" much.

Second, I'm sorry for being so cryptic, so I'll repost from the article the way DOD are currently handling the situation:

Health officials and lawmakers complain that the Defense Department has delayed disclosure of important documents during investigations into the health impact of water contaminated by a dry cleaner adjacent to Camp Lejeune and by the base's past industrial activities.

That's much clearer, I hope.

Wowee - TWO extra-special posters here.. Curiouser and curiouser.

Again, hope Rummy likes a diet of intestinal bleeding and rectal seepage.. Just deserts to one of the most responsible culprits within reach.

Actually RedLight im new here , ive been reading DR for awhile but never really posted much before :) Thanks for noticing tho :P

Anytime Bohdran, welcome, gird thine loins and stick with yer koolade since the waters kinda fucked beyond military consumption.

A great deal of this contamination took place decades ago before anybody realized the long-term impact.

Unfortunately, it was willfully ignored. I was at Whiteman Air Force Base Missouri in the mid-80s when they did a ground water analysis as part of a base closure plan.

The clean-up would be so expensive that instead the Air Force kept the base open and moved the B-2 bomber there so it would have a purpose to exist.

Ibsen wrote about this in 1882.

The clean-up would be so expensive that instead the Air Force kept the base open and moved the B-2 bomber there so it would have a purpose to exist.

Posted by vernon at 2007-06-12 04:44 AM |

I am sure that little tidbit makes the surrounding local population feel better. "Hey your groundwater is so contaminated that we would rather keep the base open instead of paying to clean it up! Have a nice life!"

And now you folks want the government to take over the nation's health system???? You CAN'T be serious.

""And now you folks want the government to take over the nation's health system???? You CAN'T be serious.""

Cus I am sure a private, for profit, company would have been much more concerned with the problem as Haliburton has proven by providing contaminated water to our soldiers in Iraq.
What a dumb comment.

""And now you folks want the government to take over the nation's health system???? You CAN'T be serious.""

Cus I am sure a private, for profit, company would have been much more concerned with the problem as Haliburton has proven by providing contaminated water to our soldiers in Iraq.
What a dumb comment.

And now you folks want the government to take over the nation's health system???? You CAN'T be serious.

Posted by jestgettinalong at 2007-06-12 08:55 AM | Reply

Yes of course, no private company would never ever look out for the bottom line over human beings. The whole reason for this thread is the fact that a corporate dry cleaner poisoned the water the Marines are drinking, the government is complicit in the cover up, kow towing to corporate interests.

Of course private companies are going to put concerns for the welfare of the general public over squeezing every single drop of profit out the company. Somehow I don't think so.

""And now you folks want the government to take over the nation's health system???? You CAN'T be serious.""

Private industry would just ask for tort reforms so that when they cause cancer they are immune from law suits.

"Of course private companies are going to put concerns for the welfare of the general public over squeezing every single drop of profit out the company. Somehow I don't think so."

If I have a private company responsible for ensuring my water quality and they aren't testing on a regular basis and giving me reports, I'll FIRE them and find another. If I have a doctor with whom I'm not happy, I'll leave and go to ANOTHER. I don't know how to "fire" the government....do you? If they're the only game in town, I would just be stuck with the status quo. But then, we know the government does a WONDERFUL job with everything, right?

"Cus I am sure a private, for profit, company would have been much more concerned with the problem as Haliburton has proven by providing contaminated water to our soldiers in Iraq.
What a dumb comment."

Alas...ANOTHER government failure in regard to DANNI's education.

Seems the GOVERNMENT failed to ensure the quality of water supplied by Hallibuton. Why didn't the GOVERNMENT fire Halliburton and find another supplier? Aren't you the one who faults the GOVERNMENT in the war in the first place? I've never seen you say anything positive about the government. Now you hate corporations too. I guess you just awake every day with a perpetual knot in your panties with a case against everything and everyone.

Cus I am sure a private, for profit, company would have been much more ....blah blah blah

Posted by danni at 2007-06-12 08:59 AM | Reply

And that's why Danni drives a car built by the government of Mexico, instead of a Toyota, an evil private company that ignores quality and safety

""Why didn't the GOVERNMENT fire Halliburton and find another supplier?""

Gee..why don't you ask the former CEO, Dick Cheney.
Thousands of municipal water systems accross the country supply good, safe, clean drinking water every day at a very reasonable cost.
I doubt that you can find a post of mine where I thought privatization was the answer. I say things about the administration or other politicians but not the government...unless you confuse the two things. Clue....George Bush and his band of cronies isn't "the government."

Vernon, I never ever claimed government should be in manufacturing, however water utilities are quite well run by government. ER....competition doesn't work too well when you have pipes coming into your house...you can't exactly choose who you are going to connect them to. You can choose who you buy a car from.

"water utilities are quite well run by government"

Depends where you live. In Milwaukee the sewers are so fucked up that they dump millions of gallons of shit into Lake Michigan every time there's a rainstorm.

OK Joe, some need to be improved but there is no reason to believe that private companies would even do as well considering that they need to turn a profit therefore everything is based on the bottom line.

I don't know how to "fire" the government....do you? If they're the only game in town, I would just be stuck with the status quo. But then, we know the government does a WONDERFUL job with everything, right?

Posted by jestgettinalong at 2007-06-12 09:45 AM | Reply

Well we saw how well Walter Reed was privatized.

We see how well Halliburton has done defrauding our government while service the troops spoiled food and contaminated drinking water.

I don't see them being replaced. Do you?

Not one health care proposal I have seen mandates government provided doctors and health care system. Perhaps you can show me one that does.

In Milwaukee the sewers are so fucked up that they dump millions of gallons of shit into Lake Michigan every time there's a rainstorm.

Posted by JOE at 2007-06-12 11:46 AM | Reply

Why won't they fix them?

Have you brought your concerns to your representative?

But then, we know the government does a WONDERFUL job with everything, right?

Posted by jestgettinalong at 2007-06-12 09:45 AM | Reply

No, but does Home Depot do a wonderful job with everything?

Does Exxon do a wonderful job with everything?

How about the company that built the space shuttle? How many of them have failed?

This is NOT and left / right thing.

It's a military thing.

The military doesn't want to spend the money to clean up the water all while denying claims to vets who become sick because of it.

I'm proud to have served my country but it's the stuff like this that makes me ashamed of it sometimes.

Why won't they fix them?

Have you brought your concerns to your representative?

Posted by JimmyWallback at 2007-06-12 01:11 PM | Reply


Same thing happens here in Buffalo (Caz Park for example). It rains hard and the raw sewage dumps into Caz Creek right at the waterfall near N Legion.

Actually, if the EPA were actually doing its job, which it is not under Bush, these problems could be reported to them and something would be done or else the cities involved would face fines.
The Bush administration isn't only not enforcing our immigration laws you know.
They are busy not enforcing lots of things.

"if the EPA were actually doing its job, which it is not under Bush, these problems could be reported to them and something would be done or else the cities involved would face fines"

Well you're right about the EPA not doing its job. For years all that's happened has been a lot of finger pointing, time-consuming and inconsequential "reviews of the system," etc. Although fining the municipality probably wouldn't be the best idea, since you'd be taking money from the only ones who have the capacity to fix the problem. I think stricter laws need to be passed that specifically outlaw this dumping practice, since if I'm not mistaken it's perfectly legal to do so right now.

Milwaukee has dumped 18 Billion gallons of sewage into Lake Michigan since 1994.

Posted by JOE at 2007-06-12 03:32 PM | Reply | Flag:

Is that raw sewage or do they least least treat it?

Thank Reagan for de-clawing the EPA.

It just got in the way of his friends.

On the flip side, there are some rabid liberals there who wanted to take farmers land in Montana because wolves had migrated onto it......and it turned out that a few at the EPA had actually lied about it. There were no wolves. I'm not sure what they planned to do with the land but it's another govt bureaucracy that needs some house cleaning done and needs to enforce the laws on the books.

Commonsense quotes : On the flip side, there are some rabid liberals there who wanted to take farmers land in Montana because wolves had migrated onto it......
Damn those illegal wolf immigrants!...Im not sure how to quote someone properly yet LOL