Navy bombing in Vieques contaminated food, water, and bodies with heavy metals.

Evidence

The Navy’s use of Puerto Rico’s islands of Vieques and Culebra as bombing and training ranges has also been an environmental disaster. On Vieques, the Navy dumped almost two million pounds of military waste in mangrove swamps and other sensitive wetland areas. Research has shown elevated levels of cadmium, lead and other heavy metals, mercury, nitrates, uranium, and other toxic chemicals in the food chain and locals’ bodies as well as in the water and soil. In 2005, the EPA included Vieques on its National Priorities List of the most hazardous contaminated sites requiring cleanup. The Navy’s estimated total cleanup costs were just 30 million in 2004 but have climbed to around 350 million. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 415

Categorization

• SEED: Cleanup cost escalation from 30M to 350M is a sharp angle on the price of base closure and remediation.