Army balks at toxic-gas test

[TechBear_Seattle]

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Plumes of contaminated underground water could be releasing dangerous vapors into family homes at Fort Lewis. But despite years of urging from the Environmental Protection Agency, the military has not tested the housing for toxic gas, nor has it warned the hundreds of soldiers, spouses and children who have occupied the dwellings that they could be at risk.

For at least five years, military officials have known of the possible seepage of trichloroethylene vapors from groundwater near and under the homes in the fort's Madigan Army Medical Center housing area, according to interviews and government documents obtained by the Seattle P-I.

Trichloroethylene, known as TCE, can cause a number of adverse effects, such as kidney cancer and reproductive, developmental and neurological abnormalities.

The Army has not tested inside the homes to see if the enlisted personnel and lower-ranking officers and their families who occupy the dwellings are being exposed to toxic vapors and, if so, at what levels.

Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/310937_ftlewis10.html

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How nice that the military supports our troops and their families. :banghead:

[w4rma]

1. The executive branch is responsible for carrying out the orders of Congress.

This is Bush's doing.

[Monkeyman]

2. Ever Wonder about the Ground Water around all our Military Bases

[saigon68]

3. As you and I know

It's one toxic mess

[Monkeyman]

4. It sure and the hell is

[jwirr]

5. I would think that the soldiers both top and bottom would be the

first to complain. Their families are usually living near or on those bases. It is one crying shame the way we treat our men and women who serve to protect our nation.

[truthisfreedom]

6. One of our Presidential candidates should be jumping on this one.

Get this situation cleared right up, show people how it's done.

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Trichloroethylene "vapor" not gas ... TCE is a liquid at room temp.

More importantly, TCE was the toxic solvent in the famous Woburn, MA court case dramatized in "A Civil Action".

The real life case at the heart of the book and film is Anne Anderson, et al., v. Cryovac, Inc., et al.. The first reported decision in the case is at 96 F.R.D. 431 (denial of defendants' motion to dismiss). W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods were among the "et al".

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. vapor and gas is the same thing.

At room temperature, some of the TCE will be gas, it evaporates.

I'd also be worried about people having it in their drinking water from wells outside of the base.

[Thothmes]

8. Toxic Gas

This seems to be a long standing problem at Fort Lewis. A friend of mine was stationed there in the late 90s and had mentioned the problem existed a long time before he was posted there.