Palm Beach Post – Erin Brockovich on cancer cluster: I’m here to advocate for full disclosure – environmental links to brain cancer cases in The Acreage

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Sharon Kramer

MITRA MALEK – The Palm Beach Post
Oct. 08, 2009

Environmental crusader Erin Brockovich plans to speak at a news conference Thursday before a meeting she is hosting to discuss a state Department of Health investigation of a suspected cancer cluster in The Acreage.

Brockovich, best known for the Oscar-winning movie about her crusade against toxic water pollution in California, plans to speak to the press at 5:30 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach. A 7 p.m. “town hall” meeting follows.

President of California-based Brockovich Research & Consulting, Brockovich works with Weitz & Luxenberg, a New York City law firm that has been investigating environmental links to brain cancer cases in The Acreage.

“I don’t have all the answers, but I am driven to ask the important questions,” Brockovich said in a prepared statement. “I am here to advocate for full disclosure — to get the information out there for the communities that are impacted by corporate dumping and other acts of negligence.”

The law firm’s work is separate from that of the state health department, which in May began an investigation of the suspected cancer cluster.

State health officials in August said that cancer levels in the community could be elevated but noted that outdated population figures might have skewed findings. The Health Department has launched a second phase of study to more accurately address cancer rates and interview families of children with brain tumors or brain cancer.

Weitz & Luxenberg earlier this week said Geiger counters revealed elevated levels of radiation at 10 homes of Acreage families with brain tumors or brain cancer. The law firm hopes to have in hand lab reports analyzing the cause of the radiation by Thursday’s meeting.

The state Department of Environmental Protection last week released data on 50 private wells it randomly tested in The Acreage and declared that drinking water in the community generally met Florida health standards. But four wells didn’t meet drinking water standards because of elevated levels of radium or alpha particles, a measure of radiation.

Weitz & Luxenberg met with the community on Aug. 24 at Seminole Ridge High School and is returning Thursday to update residents on its work and discuss the state’s findings.

mercedsunstar.com

Note – Information on Riverstone Residential knowingly exposing tenants to extreme amounts of mold toxins at Toxic Mold Infested Jefferson Lakes Apartments in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  katy

Toxic Mold Infested Jefferson Lakes Apartments managed by Riverstone Residential

Riverstone Residential Litigation

Mold Inspection Reports

Photos of Mold in Apartment

 
Posted in Environmental Health Threats | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

An Apartment Complex Teeters – High-Profile Tishman/BlackRock Property in New York in Danger of Default

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Sharon Kramer

By LINGLING WEI and CRAIG KARMIN
10-14-09

complex

The giant Stuyvesant Town apartment complex on Manhattan’s East Side, shown Tuesday, was developed by MetLife for World War II veterans.  Brian Harkin for The Wall Street Journal

One of the biggest, most high-profile deals of the commercial real-estate boom is in danger of imminent default, say people familiar with the matter, signaling the beginning of what is expected to be a wave of commercial-property failures.

The sprawling Manhattan apartment complex known as Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town — acquired for $5.4 billion in 2006 by a venture of Tishman Speyer Properties and a unit of BlackRock Inc. – is running out of cash. As of the end of September, it had $33.7 million left of the $400 million in interest reserves set up to service its debt, according to the people familiar with the matter. At its current burn rate of about $16 million per month, the reserve could be depleted before the end of the year, the people said. Others have said the venture could avoid default until February.

The spokesman for Tishman Speyer declined to comment on behalf of the partnership.

The ownership, which includes a roster of high-profile investors from the Church of England to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, has no current plans to inject more capital into the venture, according to the people. Lenders who financed the deal first projected the complex’s net operating income would triple to $336 million in 2011 from $112 million in 2006, according to Deutsche Bank AG. But net income is projected to be $139 million this year, according to Realpoint LLC, a credit-rating agency.

Investors who bought into the deal were confident that real-estate manager Tishman Speyer would be able to greatly boost profits by raising rents in Manhattan’s sizzling apartment market. But today, the 56-building, 11,000-apartment property is suffering from a slowing New York economy, a lawsuit that has hindered the owner’s ability to convert rent-controlled units to market rentals, and the debt load.

[real estate investment losses and stuyvesant]

Realpoint estimates that the property is worth only $2.1 billion now, less than half of the purchase price. By that measure, all the equity investors and many of the lenders, including Government of Singapore Investment Corp., or GIC; Gramercy Capital Corp.; and SL Green Realty Corp., are in danger of seeing most, if not all, of their investments wiped out. Hartford Financial Services Group, which bought $100 million of the debt tied to the property, said it has “sufficiently reserved for ths asset in the first half of this year.”

Some of the nation’s largest institutional investors already consider their investment a failure. The $133 billion Florida State Board of Administration committed $250 million to the equity partnership in 2007. It now counts the value as zero. A spokesman for the pension fund declined further comment.

The failure of the high-profile investment also would further rattle the market for apartments, offices, hotels and other commercial property. The market this year has seen increases in loan delinquencies and property foreclosures, stoking worries that it will drag down the nascent economic recovery.

Commercial mortgage-backed securities — the kind that financed a chunk of the Peter Cooper-Stuyvesant deal — are high on the list of concerns. Some $700 billion worth of CMBS were issued during the boom years but they have never been tested by a protracted downturn.

The apartment complex was developed by MetLife for returning World War II veterans and remained a middle-class bastion even as rents in other parts of Manhattan skyrocketed. New York’s strict regulations prevented the owners from raising rents.

But New York rent rules were eased over the years. When the Tishman/BlackRock venture purchased the property from MetLife in late 2006, the new owners predicted they would be able to convert thousands of protected apartments to higher market rents.

These projections convinced Calpers and the pension funds of several other states to make large equity investments in the deal. Meantime, the Tishman/BlackRock venture put a $3 billion first mortgage on the property and another $1.4 billion of so-called mezzanine debt.

The new owners ran into a slowing economy and resistance from tenants that battled to block rent increases. In one of their most successful challenges, tenants groups filed a lawsuit charging MetLife and the new owners with improperly converting rent-regulated units while receiving tax benefits from the city. The appellate division of the State Supreme Court in March ruled in the tenants’ favor. The state’s highest court is expected to rule on an appeal this month.

But even a victory by the Tishman/BlackRock partnership likely won’t save the deal from a default. One indication: a “special servicer” is in the process of taking over the deal’s CMBS debt, say people familiar with the matter. Special servicers are experts in dealing with troubled loans. The transfer to the special servicer, CW Capital, could occur as soon as this month, the people said.

Once that happens, the special servicer likely will try to negotiate with the partnership to restructure the debt.

Major players in these talks will likely be Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which together own more than $1.5 billion of the most highly rated, triple-A slices of the CMBS debt, according to people familiar with the matter. They would likely benefit from a fast foreclosure because, as senior lenders, they would be paid back first.

A Fannie representative declined to comment. A spokesman at Freddie confirmed its holding of the debt. “We don’t expect to incur any losses on these securities,” he said.

Another big player in the restructuring talks could be Singapore’s GIC. The fund owns a $575 million mezzanine loan backed by the property, according to people familiar with the matter. Also, GIC owns about $100 million to $200 million in equity, the people said.

Both investments might be wiped out unless GIC maneuvers to have more influence in the loan workout process, possibly by buying more senior debt. GIC declined to comment.

—Nick Timiraos contributed to this article.

online.wsj.com

Riverstone To Manage BlackRock’s 15,000 Units

BlackRock Realty Engages Riverstone Residential to Manage Residential Real Estate Property Portfolio

Note – Information on Riverstone Residential knowingly exposing tenants to extreme amounts of mold toxins at Toxic Mold Infested Jefferson Lakes Apartments in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  katy

Toxic Mold Infested Jefferson Lakes Apartments managed by Riverstone Residential

Riverstone Residential Litigation

Mold Inspection Reports

Photos of Mold in Apartment

 
Posted in Politics, Riverstone Residential, Veterans | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Appeal would reveal dollar amount of Katrina claims denied by insurance companies

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Sharon Kramer

By ANITA LEE
10-12-09

A Coast policyholder is appealing to the state Supreme Court for access to Mississippi Insurance Department records that would show the dollar amount of Katrina claims denied by insurance companies.

Long Beach policyholder Kevin Buckel filed a written request in January 2009 for records showing the total amount of damages homeowners claimed, the total amount paid and the total amount denied by private property insurance companies. MID maintains the agency does not have the records.

United Policyholders of America is helping Buckel fund the appeal.

“There’s a million people around the country who would love to help with this,” said Amy Bach, who heads the nonprofit group.

Buckel initially filed his lawsuit in Harrison County Chancery Court, but MID successfully fought to move the case to Hinds County, where it was heard in August. Judge J. Dewayne Thomas dismissed the lawsuit. Buckel’s appeal will be heard either by the state Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court.

“We just think people have the right to know this information,” said Bay St. Louis attorney Edward Gibson, who has agreed to handle the appeal. “Mr. Buckel is a concerned citizen who is bearing the responsibility to try to get this information out there.”

Buckel is trying to find out the amount of Katrina claims denied to bolster his push for the state Legislature to pass a Policyholders Bill of Rights. The legislation has died in committee for the past three years. Bills are expected to be introduced again in 2010.

The most important right, Buckel says, would be full disclosure each year by property insurance companies of the number of claims filed, paid and denied. Hundreds of Coast policyholders, including Buckel, filed lawsuits after Katrina, claiming their insurance companies shortchanged them.

Then-Insurance Commissioner George Dale frequently published a running tally of Katrina claims filed and paid. The Sun Herald asked Dale to also compile numbers on claims denied, but he would not. It turns out the numbers he did publish came from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. MID has no records on the Katrina claims payments, according to MID attorneys who defended the agency.

Buckel also is seeking a summary from 43,054 State Farm claims files MID requested during a market conduct exam of the insurance company. However, MID attorneys say state law specifically exempts the market conduct records from public disclosure. Also, the attorneys say, the department did not keep copies of the claims files.

While MID was conducting the exam, Dale reached an agreement with State Farm that required the insurer to re-evaluate Coast Katrina claims and make additional payments to policyholders. The company says an additional $88 million was paid on 5,200 claims. State Farm said it paid a total of almost $2.2 billion on more than 85,000 claims statewide.

Buckel believes MID must possess a summary of files that would show the scope of State Farm claims denials leading to the re-evaluation.

Buckel represented himself before Judge Thomas, who asked why Buckel didn’t get a bill of rights introduced in the Legislature. Buckel told the judge it died in committee. “Imagine that,” Thomas said. After he ruled for MID, Thomas told Buckel, “You may have a claim, but I think you need to sue the damn insurance companies and I will be glad to hear it.”

sunherald.com

Note – Information on Riverstone Residential knowingly exposing tenants to extreme amounts of mold toxins at Toxic Mold Infested Jefferson Lakes Apartments in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  katy

Toxic Mold Infested Jefferson Lakes Apartments managed by Riverstone Residential

Riverstone Residential Litigation

Mold Inspection Reports

Photos of Mold in Apartment

 
Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Wysong dog food recalled – may contain mold

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Sharon Kramer

A manufacturer of natural pet food has recalled some of its products, fearing they may contain mold.

Wysong Corporation has recalled bags of dry dog food from certain shipments. The foods involved are of the Maintenance and Senior product lines. The company announced on its Web site today that these batches have proven to be “above acceptable moisture levels and may contain mold.”

If your bag of Wysong dry dog food bears one of the following batch numbers, do not feed it to your dog:

Wysong Maintenance: lot numbers 090617, 090624, 090706, 090720. Wysong Senior: lot number 090623.

Depending on which type of mold grows on the moist food, the effects can range from barely noticeable to lethal.

Vomiting and diarrhea are common symptoms, says Lee Herold, a critical-care veterinarian at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. But, she says, some forms of mold can produce a bacteria called Mycotoxin, which can cause life-threatening seizures or liver failure. Usually, she sees these extreme cases in dogs that get into a moldy compost bin and eat a lot of it, but she says mold in dry food is definitely cause for concern.

A call to the company was directed to the quality controller’s voicemail and has not been returned.

The lot number is located in one of two places, depending on if you bought the food in a bag or a box. On the box, it’s easy. A number following the format in the list above will be on the top of the box. On the bags, it’s a little trickier: hold the bag so that you’re looking at the front of it. Turn it upside down, so you’re still looking at the front, but the writing is upside down now. Now you should see a number imprinted into the crimping on the bottom of the bag (which is now on top), the company says.

You can return the food to the retailer you bought it from or contact the company for product replacement. To contact Wysong, send an email and put “Product Replacement” in the subject line, or call 989-631-0009.

oregonlive.com

Posted in Environmental Health Threats, Health - Medical - Science, Toxic Mold | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

VETERANS-FOR-CHANGE NEWS – Claims Processing – US Military Bases Federally Designated as Hazardous Waste Sites – Linda K. May of Pontiac, Illinois Update

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Sharon Kramer

veterans for change

NEWS UPDATE…Friday, October 9, 2009

VETERANS-FOR-CHANGE DEMANDS VETERANS PROCESSING TO STOP BEING SWEPT UNDER THE RUG AND IGNORED BY LEGISLATORS

By: Jim Davis
Edited by: Barbie Perkins-Cooper

Veterans-For-Change, a non-profit vocal group for Veterans rights, benefits, and treatment, would like to bring to your attention the immeasurably serious problems affecting veterans and their families every day. Many of these problems escalate for veterans, and continue to be ignored, swept under the rug, or misrepresented by our legislators.

The membership of Veterans-for-Change continues to grow and as an advocate for Veterans and the benefits they deserve, we would like to address the following problems/issues:

Claims Processing in Order of Receipt: 

Countless veterans and widows of the almost one million claims dating back to WWII are being placed on hold so that Afghanistan and Iraq veteran’s claims can be processed more quickly. While Veterans-for-Change relates to the difficulties, physical complaints and difficulties endured by the War on Terror Veterans, we believe it is crucial that VA Benefits claims should be processed in order of receipt regardless of when the actual service occurred, but this is far from the case.

WWII Veteran’s claims are taking 28-60 months, Korean War Veteran’s claims are taking 26-52 months, Viet Nam Veteran’s claims are taking 24-48 months, Persian Gulf Veteran’s claims are taking 24-36 months, Iraq Veteran’s claims are taking 6-7 months and Afghanistan Veteran’s are taking 3-4 months.

With a fully computerized claim system that communicates with other computer systems in regard to military and medical records systems, the backlog would not exist and the processing of claims would be in order of receipt.

Veterans-For-Change is actively involved in requesting that members of Congress take a long, hard and serious look at the escalating flaws in the system, and draft and submit corrective legislation.

Claims Paperwork Reduction: 

Veterans-for-Change believes it is time for the VA to bring their documents, medical records and service records into the Twenty-first Century so processing of claims are completed in an expedient manner . Currently, Veterans are required to “prove” their claims, providing medical and service records when the VA could have easily implemented a computerized claim system which communicated with both the DoD and VA medical systems many years ago, thus bringing the claims processing system into the 21st century.

Because of the amount of paperwork and documentation needed to “prove” a claim, and the amount of human intervention involved, the chances are greatly increased for human error, loss of documentation, eventually ending in denials or remands of claims thus also increasing costs involved with handling and processing of claims.

Veterans-for-Change requests that members of Congress take a hard and serious look at this flaw in practice, draft and submit corrective legislation to mandate an integrated computer system for claims processing so as to prevent such flaws and errors in practice in the future.

Better Protection for VA Medical Records: 

In the past veterans have had loss of personal information via stolen computers, hard drives and using sub-contractors who didn’t take the needed precautions to protect highly confidential information.

In addition, when claims are filed with a Veteran Service Officer and/or the VA direct, files lay around for anyone to walk up and access confidential information. Couldn’t this be considered as ‘invasion of privacy?’ This is just another excellent reason why the VA Claims process, Military and Medical records should all be computerized with a line of communications between the VA Claims system, DoD Military Records, and VA Hospital Records.

We must do all we can to protect the privacy and confidentiality of veterans records, and if we cannot rely on the VA I-T department to program a fully functioning system, then maybe the private sector should be considered.

President Obama has said: “We have a sacred trust with those who wear the uniform of the United States of America, a commitment that begins with enlistment and must never end.”

You, as Americans, and politicians of a free society, do have a moral, ethical, and Patriotic obligation to provide benefits and care, regardless of the costs involved and in a reasonable timely manner! You do have a moral, ethical, and Patriotic obligation to care for those who did the job the average American Citizen didn’t want to do.

Our veterans cannot escape the effects, physical ailments, illnesses, and emotional wounds of war, or the effects of working in an environment on base where chemicals and other ‘confidential’ and dangerous materials reside. Freedom is not free; it comes with a price tag. Veterans paid a gigantic price, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Only a veteran can comprehend how that price was paid for in full by our military and veterans, along with their spouses and children! The price they paid for their devotion to their freedom does not have a monetary amount and it could be considered priceless since the effects of war leave so many emotional and physical scars that cannot be repaired, or erased. The price our veterans paid was distributed in full with blood, sweat and many tears!

If our nation rescinds its promises and ignores its obligation to those who have fought to preserve freedom throughout the world, we compromise the right to ask our men and women to serve and defend our national principals.

Veterans-for-Change is Growing

But we still need your help!  We need members who can volunteer 30-60 minutes per month to help determine hot issues that need to be addressed by the members of Congress to provide better benefits, facilities, care and treatment to all veterans and to help get our monthly letters out to all these members.

If interested please check out the group at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VETERANS-FOR-CHANGE/

Veterans-For-Change is also becoming a full 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  We’ll continue with our current mission, and will be expanding to add more and more programs over the coming months.

A special award recognition program for veterans, spouses and their children, a small college scholarship program for children of veterans, a small emergency relief fund for veterans in need, and more.

If you’re able to make a small donation to help in the cause and fight please go to:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7849171

Attention Veterans who served in Korea

The research questionnaire response so far has been good, but we still need more veterans who served in Korea to participate.

Veterans-For-Change is distributing a questionnaire to veterans pertaining to service in Korea to help us gather statistical information in our ongoing efforts to correct the wrongs and to assist in declassifying many missions in Korea so that veterans such as you will be able to gain the benefits and services needed from the VA System.

This questionnaire is anonymous, you do not need to provide personal contact information if you’re not comfortable with this.

However, if you do provide personal contact information it will be kept 100% confidential, will not be given to any member of Congress, the VA or the DoD, nor will it be sold to any company for any reason what-so-ever.

Statistical information will be used to compile a report to submit to various members of Congress in our efforts to declassify all missions 25 or more years ago so that all veterans can apply for and gain the much needed benefits and medical care/services needed and long over due.

If you’re interested in participating, please send an E-Mail to:   Jim.davis@veterans-for-change.com

We’ll respond with a short two page questionnaire you can return via US Mail or E-Mail.

LINDA K. MAY of PONTIAC, ILLINOIS UPDATE

As most of you know, Veterans-For-Change as well as OFFE and many others have been gathering evidence to prove beyond any doubt Ms. May is committing fraud towards parents of school age children, elderly, and veterans.

Complaints have already been filed with the Attorney General’s in Michigan, Illinois, and California as well as with the US DOJ in Washington DC with Connecticut to happen this week seeking charges be brought against her and for monies she’s collected to be returned to those she’s harmed.

Over the past week, additional hard copy evidence has been received to be included with the packet being sent out to the various AG’s and DOJ.

If anyone else has any correspondence, documentation, lab reports, receipts, etc. anything proving you or someone you know has had direct dealings with her, please contact me via E-Mail at Jim.davis@veterans-for-change.com we need all the evidence we can gather within the next two weeks.

If you’re thinking about using her “test” or any “results” please be advised do not take this action, it will not help anyone in any VA Claim or court case.

WELCOME TO

VFVC ON THE AIR LIVE!

Your hosts:

Gene Simes & Jere Beery

____________________

Call in at 1-319 648-5143 and lets talk!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

9pm Eastern 8pm Central 7pm Mountain 6pm Pacific

If you have a voice let it be heard on Welcome to VFVC live on the air!

 

Congressional Hearing on DoD/VA

Response to Potential Exposures

(Washington, DC) – The Defense Department is the biggest owner of EPA Superfund sites.  Over 130 military bases are on the National Priority List (EPA Superfund).

In his opening statement today, Senator Daniel Akaka, Chairman, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, noted the requirement for the VA to provide health care and compensation to veterans who were harmed by exposures while in the military.

According to Senator Akaka, DOD “must first determine who was exposed, what they were exposed to, and the health consequences of such exposure, and then share that information with VA.”

For any military base on the EPA Superfund list, EPA has identified hazardous agents or Chemicals of Concern (COC).  This information is available to anyone with access to the internet.   

The issue of disclosure is more difficult when a veteran was exposed to a hazardous agent while in the military and the base is not an EPA Superfund.  Unless DOD discloses this information to the VA, veterans have no way of “connecting the dots to military service.” 

Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro, California, is one of 130 military bases on EPA Superfund. No El Toro veteran was invited to participate in today’s hearing but a group of El Toro veterans and other interested parties on learning of the Committee’s hearing submitted written comments for their consideration. 

Any veteran or other interested party can submit information to the Committee on the topic of the hearing for a few more days.  Comments should be emailed to:  Matt_Lawrence@vetaff.senate.gov.

A video on the Committee’s hearing can be viewed at http://veterans.senate.gov/hearings.cfm?action=release.display&release_id=8e6c9acc-ae05-41de-a5f6-484ea25a52bc

El Toro Marines and others submitted the following written comments relating to the critical need for disclosure to hazardous agents; medical monitoring and access to tests for veterans; and medical care and disability for those with current medical conditions:
   
October 8, 2009
Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs
Chairman Senator Daniel Akaka and Ranking Republican Senator Richard Burr
United States Congress
Washington D.C.

Subject:  Hearing on the VA/DOD Response to Certain Military Exposures – Submission for the Record 

Dear Sirs;

We thank you for holding hearings regarding military exposures to hazardous agents.  We understand the hearings focus on a few locations your Committee has concerns about regarding potential health hazards.  We are providing very brief comments for your consideration and the record. We request that you pursue actions to mitigate health problems arising from hazardous exposures at US military bases.

Marines and others who serve anticipate hazardous conditions will occur.  While efforts should be made to minimize hazards, some activities are inherently dangerous and even lethal.  We realize that knowledge of chemical hazards was neither as extensive nor widespread in past decades.  But the degree of hazard is clearly indicated by the 130 current and former military bases that are federally-designated Superfund sites (Attachment 1).  This designation requires extensive proof of hazardous chemical contamination.  Carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and mutagenic chemicals were used during military duties (e.g., jet fuels and other fuels, degreasing solvents) without personal protective gear.  Burn pits and other operations created additional toxic airborne chemicals, and often the soil, dust, and water on bases were contaminated.  The burden of exposure and disease is only now being fully realized.

El Toro is one of many bases operated to serve US defense needs, manned by people who put their lives on the line to protect and defend our citizens. The prevalence of hazards on bases is illustrated by the example shown in Attachment 2. Many veterans have difficulty locating information on chemicals that they were exposed to, if they know that the information exits.  Medical evaluations of their exposures and illnesses that may result in a Nexus statement are very expensive.  Yet this is required to receive essential medical care and disability support. This process is indefensible given the substantial medical science available to the VA on chemical hazards.

While we welcome an opportunity to provide additional information, for the sake of brevity we request that your Committee carefully consider and prompt the VA to take the following actions essential to preserving the health of Veterans:

  • Disclosure hazardous agents used on military bases, with information on potential health effects of the agents
  • For those highly exposed to hazardous agents, provision of medical monitoring and access to tests for early diagnosis of diseases related to hazardous agents
  • Medical care and disability for those with medical conditions related to their military service

Valuing the service provided by Veterans requires the VA and DOD’s participation in basic public health outreach and services.  This will provide the Veterans the best opportunity for good health, improve the economic viability of their families, and it is fundamentally the right and just thing to do.  We are submitting these comments as Marines, family members of Marines, and health professionals working with Marines who served at the El Toro Marine Base in Irvine California. 

Submitted via e-mail on October 8, 2009
 
Respectfully submitted by the following individuals,

Robert O’Dowd*
Marine Veteran
Former Financial Manager, Defense Logistics Agency

James Davis
Founder and President of Veterans for Change
Son of Marine

Mary Davis
Former Judge Advocate General (JAG) employee
Wife of Marine

Tim King
Marine Veteran
Journalist

Bonnie King
Wife of Marine Veteran
Journalist

Johnny P. Barron
Marine Veteran
Sr. Systems Programmer

Dr. Kathleen Burns
Director, Sciencecorps

Dr. Philip Leveque
Forensic Toxicologist

Dr. Michael Harbut
Chief, Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Chair, Science Committee, Michigan Agent Orange Commission, 1987 – 1988″

Dr. Daniel Teitelbaum
Adjunct Professor
Colorado School of Public Health & University of Colorado at Denver

Attachment 1.  US Military Bases Federally Designated as Hazardous Waste Sites**

US Air ForceAir Force Plant #4 (General Dynamics)   Fort Worth TXAir Force Plant 85 Columbus OHAir Force Plant PJKS Littleton COAmerican Lake Gardens/McChord AFB Tacoma WAAndersen Air Force Base Yigo GUAndrews Air Force Base Andrews AFB MDArnold Engineering Development Center  Tullahoma/ Manchester TNBrandywine DRMO Brandywine MDCastle Air Force Base  Merced CAChanute Air Force Base Rantoul ILDover Air Force Base Dover DEEdwards Air Force Base Edwards AFB CAEielson Air Force Base Fairbanks AKEllsworth Air Force Base Ellsworth  SDElmendorf Air Force Base Anchorage AKF.E. Warren Air Force Base Cheyenne WYFairchild Air Force Base  Spokane WAGeorge Air Force Base Victorville CAGriffiss Air Force Base  Rome NYHanscom Air Force Base Bedford MAHill Air Force Base Hill AFB UT 
Attachment 2 (continued):   US Military Base Hazardous Waste SitesUS Air ForceHomestead Air Force Base Homestead Air Force Base FL

Loring Air Force Base Limestone ME

Luke Air Force Base Glendale AZ

March Air Force Base Riverside CA

Mather Air Force Base Mather CA

McChord Air Force Base  Tacoma WA

McClellan Air Force Base McClellan CA

McGuire Air Force Base Wrightstown NJ

Mountain Home Air Force Base Mountain Home ID

Norton Air Force Base  San Bernardino CA

Pease Air Force Base Portsmouth/ Newington NH

Plattsburgh Air Force Base Plattsburgh NY

Rickenbacker Air National Guard  Lockbourne OH

Robins Air Force Base  Houston Co. GA

Tinker Air Force Base  Oklahoma City OK

Travis Air Force Base Travis AFB CA

Twin Cities Air Force Reserve Base  Minneapolis MN

Tyndall Air Force Base Panama City FL

 
 

Attachment 2 (continued): US Military Base Hazardous Waste Sites

US Air Force

Williams Air Force Base Chandler AZ

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Dayton OH

Wurtsmith Air Force Base Oscoda MI

 
US Coast Guard

Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard  Baltimore MD

 

 US Army

Aberdeen Proving Ground  Edgewood MD and Aberdeen MDAlabama Army Ammunition Plant Childersburg ALAnniston Army Depot  Anniston ALCornhusker Army Ammunition Plant Hall County NEFort Devens Fort Devens & Sudbury MAFort Dix  Pemberton Township NJFort Eustis Newport News VAFort George G. Meade Odenton MDFort Lewis Tacoma and Tillicum WAFort Ord Marina CAFort Richardson Anchorage AKFort Riley Junction City KSFort Wainwright Fort Wainwright AKIowa Army Ammunition Plant Middletown IAJoliet Army Ammunition Plant  Joliet ILLake City Army Ammunition Plant  Independence MOLetterkenny Army Depot Franklin Co. and Chambersburg PALone Star Army Ammunition Plant Texarkana TXLonghorn Army Ammunition Plant Karnack TXLouisiana Army Ammunition Plant Doyline LA 
US ArmyMaterials Technology Lab Watertown MAMilan Army Ammunition Plant Milan TNNatick Lab Army Research, Development, and Engineering Center Natick MANew Brighton/Arden Hills  New Brighton MN

Picatinny Arsenal Rockaway Township NJ

Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant Riverbank CA

Rocky Mountain Arsenal Adams County CO

Sacramento Army Depot Sacramento CA

Savanna Army Depot Activity Savanna IL

Schofield Barracks  Schofield HI

Seneca Army Depot Romulus NY

Sharpe Army Depot Lathrop CA

Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant Desoto KS

Tobyhanna Army Depot Tobyhanna PA

Tooele Army Depot  Tooele UT

Tracy Defense Depot  Tracy CA

Umatilla Army Depot   Hermiston OR

US Army/NASA Redstone Arsenal Huntsville AL

 
US Army

Weldon Spring Former Army Ordnance Works St. Charles County MO

West Virginia Ordnance  Point Pleasant WV

 
 

 US Navy and MarinesAdak Naval Air Station Adak AKAlameda Naval Air Sta. Alameda CAAllegany Ballistics Laboratory, Mineral Co. WVBangor Naval Submarine Base Silverdale WABangor Ordnance Disposal  Bremerton WABarstow Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow CABrunswick Naval Air Station Brunswick MECamp Lejeune Onslow County NCCamp Pendleton Marine Base Camp Pendleton CACherry Point Marine Corps Station Havelock NCConcord Naval Weapons Station Concord CADavisville Naval Construction Battalion Center    N. Kingstown RIEl Toro Marine Corps Air Station El Toro CAIndian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head MDJackson Park Housing Complex  Kitsap Co. WAJacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville FLMarine Corps Combat Development Quantico VAMarine Corps Logistics Base Albany GAMoffett Naval Air Station Moffett Field CANaval Air Development  Warminster Township PANaval Air Engr CTR Lakehurst NJNaval Air Station, Whidbey Isl Whidbey Isl. WA 
 
 
US Navy and MarineNaval Amphib. Base Little Creek Virginia Beach VA

Naval Computer & Telecommunications  Master Station Eastern Pacific Wahiawa HI

Naval Indust. Reserve Ordnance Plant Fridley MN

Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca PR

Naval Surface Warfare Center  Dahlgren VA

Naval Undersea Warfare Engr Station  Keyport WA

Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Bedford MA

Naval Weapons Station Yorktown VA

Naval Weapons Station Earle Colts Neck NJ

Navy Ships Parts Control Ctr Mechanicsburg PA

New London Submarine Base New London CT

Newport Naval Edu & Training Ctr Newport RI

Norfolk Naval Base Norfolk & Portsmouth VA

NWS Yorktown – Cheatham Annex Yorktown VA

Parris Isl. Marine Corps Depot Parris Island SC

Patuxent River Naval Air Station Patuxent River MD

Pearl Harbor Naval Complex Pearl Harbor HI

Pensacola Naval Air Station Pensacola FL

Port Hadlock Detachment Indian Island WA

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Kittery ME

US Navy and Marines
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard  Bremerton WA

So. Weymouth Naval Air Station Weymouth MA

St. Juliens Creek Annex  Chesapeake VA

Treasure Isl. Naval Station  San Francisco CA

USN Air Station Cecil Field Jacksonville FL

Washington Navy Yard Washington DC

Whiting Field Naval Air Station Milton FL

Willow Grove Naval Air & Air Reserve Station Horsham PA

Yuma Marine Corps Air Station Yuma AZ

** Federally designated hazardous waste sites that come under US EPA’s Superfund Program (also listed as National Priority List or “NPL” sites) are listed.  Some base cleanup has been completed, and work continues at other bases.  These facilities include active and decommissioned bases.  Some locations house (d) operations for multiple branches of the Service.  When multiple locations with the same name were listed, they were combined under one entry above.   Many hazardous waste sites are not designated under Superfund for a variety of reasons, and so this is very unlikely to be a complete list of bases where chemical contamination indicates past exposure to chemical hazards.

The underlined text links to the US EPA’s webpage for each base with some investigative documents, cleanup status, and lists of the toxic chemicals that were identified. The documents often contain inconsistencies, making it difficult to evaluate the nature and levels of exposure to hazardous agents at worksites, in base housing and in the elementary school on this base.

US EPA’s individual site websites link to chemical contaminant lists that in turn link to health hazard information from ATSDR.  ATSDR’s chemical documents are often out of date, incomplete, and misleading.  (See transcript of Congressional Hearings in 2008 regarding the quality of ATSDR’s information.)  Attachment 2 contains a link to the US EPA website for El Toro, as an example.

Attachment 2.  Webpage with basic information on the former El Toro Marine base***

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro: EPA Superfund

Former Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, California is one of 130 military bases on the National Priority List (a federal Superfund site).  The chemical contamination of soil and groundwater at El Toro is shared by many military bases. Millions of dollars were spent in remediation by the Navy. However, like other Veterans, no El Toro veteran was notified of the health effects of exposure to organic solvents, toxic metals, and other hazardous agents.
 
Mission Statement
 
The purpose of this website is to provide information to Marines and their dependents that lived and worked at MCAS El Toro about the contaminants in the soil and groundwater and the potential health effects of exposure to these contaminants.

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The Navy identified 25 sites on the El Toro base with chemical contamination of soil and water that included arsenic, benzene,  dioxin, TCE, chloroform, vinyl chloride, and other carcinogens, mutagens, neurotoxins, and developmental toxins (source: US EPA, 2009 at http://cfpub.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.Contams&id=0902770.  Many toxic chemicals were used in daily operations by Marines or were created through the use of burn pits and other processes. 

Site 1- Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Range: Site is located in the northeast portion of the base in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Site 2 – Magazine Road Landfill: During the 1970s, all solid waste from El Toro and some waste from MCAS Tustin were disposed in this landfill.

Site 3 -Original Landfill: Original Landfill, active from 1943 to 1955, encompasses approximately 11 acres and is located in the eastern portion of El Toro.   (This list of sites continues on the webpage.)

***See http://www.mwsg37.com  containing additional information on base contamination, health hazards, communications from Marines who served at the base, and related information. The webpage was developed by and relies on information assembled by a Marine Veteran who served at El Toro, Robert O’Dowd.

Watch for Veterans-For-Change new website coming soon:

www.veterans-for-change.com

VETERANS-FOR-CHANGE MISSION STATEMENT

A Veterans Advocacy and Assistance Organization

The purpose of Veterans-For-Change is to make major changes in the treatment and rights for all veterans. In benefits claims, appeals, medical care and treatment, VA Facilities, PTSD, Agent Orange, POW & MIA recoveries, diabetes, TBI and dioxins.

Members combine their talents, information, ideas and suggestion and contribute to a monthly letter that’s sent to all 535 members of Congress expressing the concerns over various issues and offers possible solutions.

This is in an effort to make change within the VA system, to streamline, expedite and insure claims are honored to the best possible rating, to insure all medical facilities are using the best equipment in the most modernized facilities with a properly trained and fully licensed and compassionate medical staff.

Additionally we circulate petitions for various pieces of legislation to promote their being presented on the floor and voted on.

We conduct research, develop ideas, solutions, and programs and do our best to make sure they’re put into action.

We also provide guidance and assistance to veterans, spouses, their children and widows with their claims and appeals and the support of all veterans who seek assistance.

We must guarantee the rights of every single veteran and gain the rights and benefits promised!

Jim Davis
Garden Grove, CA 92840
jdavis92840@sbcglobal.net   Don’t be afraid, just be yourself!
“Be who you are and say what you feel .. Because those that matter .. don’t mind ..
And those that mind … don’t matter.”
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MEMORIAL PAGE & BLOG:
http://veterans-for-change.tripod.com/index.html
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Are you or a fellow Vet diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)?   We’d like to help you, and your family cope with, understand, and be able to find the assistance you need.   Group Name:           Vets_ALS
Group Home Page:      http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Vets_ALS
 
For more Veterans Information: http://veteransinfo.org
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VETERANS-FOR CHANGE   VETERANS WILLING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE VA   ALL Veterans complain about one thing or another when it comes to the VA, benefits, etc. and for the most part they’re right, however, NOT many will stand up to the VA nor our goverment.   DO YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY YOU WON’T TAKE IT ANY MORE AND HELP IN THE FIGHT?   Then join us today because tomorrow NEVER comes!   Group Name:                   Veterans-For-Change
Group Home Page:              http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VETERANS-FOR-CHANGE   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEWS SOURCES:
Newsvine: http://jdavis92840.newsvine.com/
  Be sure to comment and vote so Veterans news gets pushed to front page!   Veterans Today: http://veteranstoday.com/   Salem News: http://www.salem-news.com/   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAKE A DONATION TO VETERANS-FOR-CHANGE   https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7849171

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