California Quelches Plans to Transform Marine Base into Homes

Tim is there any scientific evidence available that could be used in a court proceeding? For example a per capital accounting of different diseases/birth defects for those who lived on base (or any military base) and the general civilian population living in different parts of the country? This would be supplemented with family medical histories. Possibly the CDC or the military has studies that can be gotten via the Freedom of Information Act. Recall the Love Canal case? They had the statistical goods, and that's what it takes to collect damages and/or get the top professional second to none media involved...the FOX Network.

Tim King: El Toro was added to the EPA Superfund list many years ago, and it is the U.S. Navy that contracted the work that led to the findings of overwhelming levels of TCE, PCE, Benzene and the list goes on and on.  There is a whole separate allegation of U-235 Enriched Uranium being present on soil outside of the base perimeter on the old EOD, and also four other areas, landfills.  Since I am bringing this up, here is a quote from Dr. Chuck Bennett who died shortly after revealing this information.  

 "The Uranium they found in Site 1 has too much Uranium 235 in it (N.B. it is the U235 in Uranium that makes nuclear power plants work and splits when an atom bomb explodes). The amount of U235 in the Site 1 samples is more than twice as much as you would find in natural uranium, and several outside experts have confirmed that the Site 1 results demonstrate enriched uranium. If it is enriched, it is man made and not natural. If it is not natural, the DoN will become liable for remediating all the Uranium. If it is shown to be enriched Uranium at the base, don’t bother to ask me how it got there. Ask the DoN."

Dr. Bennett's untimely death was followed by all of his research 'disappearing' from his garage, according to second-hand reports that are attributed to his family.  His quote above and far more were published by Orange County press at the time.   My report on this from 2008 has substantially more: Have Irvine and Lennar Ignored Hazardous Nuclear Waste at El Toro?  

We have well over 100 articles about El Toro, but this one from 2010 is particularly revealing, Roger Butow and I stormed the Irvine City Council and offered testimony, working at the time with two City Council members who were trying to get to the truth, they were not fully successful but points like this have been damaging to those who attempt to conceal the truth: Irvine City Council Wrestles El Toro Marines Over Deadly Toxins 

There is a law called the 'Feres Doctrine' that blocks military members from suing over illnesses contracted during military service.  It is a blatant example of the government's stone cold position toward veterans.  I hope I am answering your question; there are no easy answers, significant documentation of the contamination, but little real reaction to it by those who wish to profit from the base.

Frank:
It's become pretty obvious that the situation at former MCAS El Toro has many siblings when it comes to failed remediation of military bases/facilities---Where the tipping point is, or if it ever occurs at all, is unfortunately very specious.....It went beyond logical comprehension years ago.
I've been fighting with these people in South Orange County for over 10 years and they have no sense of shame or conscience. Tim saw that live and in person several years ago.
We must keep going forward, nonetheless, giving up, surrendering to fatigue or frustration is not an option. No retreat strategy, that would only fuel the arrogance of the opponents and ignore our fellow members of all armed forces.
In the end, maybe all we have is each other's 6s and 9s.......But I'll take that over smarmy a-hole bureaucrats anytime.
Death before dishonor.

The former George Air Force Base, CA, has similar problems with the water supply, health problems, and cover-up.

Did the Department of Defense, Army, and Air Force misrepresent the nature and extent of the contamination at George AFB? I believe that the answer is yes.

The Air Force is/was required by law to deny the existence of any environmental contamination that is/was the result of classified activities.

The DoD and Air Force inserted an interesting clause in the “Federal Facility Agreement for George AFB” that gives them the right to withhold records [pertaining to contamination] at the property. Page 43, 23. RELEASE OF RECORDS

The Air Force admits that it routinely withheld records about contamination from regulators, contractors, and the public. “Buried Radioactive Weapons Maintenance Waste”

Furthermore, The EPA and the Government Accountability Office found that the Air Force has no idea of what radioisotopes, the amount it buried, or the locations of the radioactive waste dumps on its bases. “Nuclear Regulation - The Military Would Benefit From a Comprehensive Waste Disposal Program”, “Better Data Needed For Radioactively Contaminated Defense Sites”, “Lost AEC Records”

Dr. Sabol was the Chief Environmental Officer for George AFB. However, I can find no evidence that Dr. Sabol was interviewed by any of the contractors involved in the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) or by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) for the Health Assessment of George AFB, and none of his environmental reports / investigations are in the George AFB Administrative Record (AR).

Frank Vera
georgeafb.info

Tim King: Frank, thanks for writing, we think about you guys all the time; the Air Force and Navy must have far more TCE and related problems, the USAF in particular.  I looked at your site and appreciate the clever name, nicely done, please work with us, let us promote your site, etc., we have 14 current and former U.S. Marines on our team and veterans of a few other services, both foreign and U.S., and we need better representation for other services.  We recently added John Bury, a Navy Vietnam Vet who is very actively involved in the fight over Agent Orange, I hope you have interest in doing the same for the Air Force.  Please feel free to write to me at tim@salem-news.com, thanks so much.