Navy bombing ranges contaminated Vieques so badly cleanup costs multiplied tenfold.

Evidence

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

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 415
• XREF: connects to: Navy bombing in Vieques contaminated food, water, and bodies with heavy metals. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 415; Navy dumped two million pounds of military waste on Vieques, contaminating people and soil
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: Navy bombing in Vieques contaminated food, water, and bodies with heavy metals. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 415; Navy dumped two million pounds of military waste on Vieques, contaminating people and soil