Corps should take responsibility for cleanup
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Drums that are obviously military canisters and chemicals in them that the military used on its planes during the 1950s - and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is denying these items are military?
We urge the Corps to take responsibility for the leaking drums buried at the Victoria Regional Airport. Documentation proving those drums belonged to the military can be interpreted by the labeling of the drums and the chemicals within.
True, paper documentation might be absent, but it is apparent that the responsibility of those drums lies with the Corps. The expense of cleaning up these buried drums - unearthing them and removing the chemicals - should not fall on Victoria County taxpayers. But that is what the Corps seems to be indicating.
The Corps says somebody, after Foster Field closed in the 1950s, buried drums of military chemicals and left. How did these people acquire drums of military chemicals?
The chemical has been identified as an engine de-greaser used by the military at the airport before the military decommissioned Foster Field. Plus, the chemicals are in military barrels.
We concur with Victoria County Commissioner Gary Burns, who said he believes the Corps is neglecting its duty.
So now, surveys are being circulated to such organizations as Keep Victoria Beautiful and city of Victoria's environmental department.
If concern by the community can be conveyed to the Corps, it will have to address these buried barrels of military chemicals.
Again, we urge the Corps to take responsibility for military barrels and chemicals buried at the Victoria Regional Airport. These belong to the military, and the Corps should accept removing them and cleaning up the sites where they are buried.
This editorial reflects the views of the Victoria Advocate's editorial board.
Comments
If these chemicals were used by military on their planes--is this the army, airforce, or navy planes. Based on that, it would seem that is whom should be responsible.
However I have observed that many times when the damage was done so many years ago and it was not done by a private company --then the EPA uses our Tax Dollars to clean it up as part of super fund money. I guess I just don't understand why the Army Corp of engineers are responsible. I probably missed the initial explanations.
Can anyone bring me up to date.
November 22, 2009 at 10:18 a.m.