Fw: No answers to DU questions

More on DU
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 10:19 PM
Subject: Re: No answers to DU questions

Russ,
Mahalo for your answers. 
The truth is you don't have the facts.  You do not know how much DU has been used at PTA.  You do not have comprehensive monitoring data.
Show us the data about no radioactivity above background levels.  How many readings did you take, for what time frame, and where, under what wind conditions.  We have obtained 75 counts per minute (3-4 times background levels) at Mauna Kea State park on May 29, 2007 with dust devils coming right off the PTA impact area.  Normally you will get background level readings. Averaging won't cut it.  It is the spikes that concerns us.   All that it takes are small particles, carried by the winds, of inhalled DU to cause health problems.  That's why we need 360 degress monitoring around PTA with a paper trail and the data available to citizens via home computers. Put the heat on Dan Inouye to come up with the funding for first class monitoring of the military radiation contamination on our island home.
Then we'll have the facts.
 
Mahalo.
Jim Albertini
Malu `Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action
P.O. Box AB
`Ola`a (Kurtistown), Hawaii 96760
Phone 808-966-7622
email ja@interpac.net
www.malu-aina.org
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 1:43 PM
Subject: RE: No answers to DU questions

Jim,
Here are my answers:  See below in blue.
Russ

From: Jim Albertini [mailto:ja@interpac.net]
Sent: Wed 1/16/2008 12:06 PM
To: Takata, Russell S.; imcom-pacific-du@hawaii.army.mil
Cc: Faye Hanohano; Dwight Takamine; Cindy Evans; Robert N. Herkes; Jerry L. Chang; Russell S. Kokubun; Lorrainne R. Inouye; Harry Kim; Alan McNarie; PCRC; A P; advertiser; Garden Ise; Garden Island; Hawaii Island Journal; Hilo Trib; Hono Weekly; Honolulu Star-Bulletin; Ian Lind; KBOO; Kevin Dayton; kgmb tv9; khnl tv8; KPUA; Maui news; namaka@interpac.net; Rod Thompson; Audrey McAvoy; WestHawaii Today; Honolulu Advertiser; Pacific Business News; j Yoshimoto; Brenda Ford; Emily Naeole; Dominic Yagong; Bob Jacobson; Angel Pilago; Donald Ikeda; Pete Hoffmann; Stacy K. Higa; Andy Levin; Janet Snyder; Barbara Bell; Nelson Ho; Chris Yuen; Charmaine Shigemura
Subject: No answers to DU questions

It's been nearly two months since these questions were presented Nov. 18, 2007 to Army Col. Killian, DOH Russ Takata, Cindy Evans, etc.  No answers.  How come?
 

Questions for Meetings on Depleted Uranium Nov. 2007

STATE ONLY ANSWERS

1. Why have you (State & military) refused balanced forums with presenters including Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD, Peace activist Jim Albertini and others?

I will not debate the facts.

2. You have downplayed the health hazards of DU. Isn't that misleading the public?

No, I have not downplayed the health effects.  In fact, health effects were covered in my Powerpoint presentation. 

3. Where is the data to support your claims minimizing DU health risks?

No evidence of radioactivity above background levels.

4. Did any DU particles on-the-ground become airborne and blow off-base on Oct. 23, 2007 when several 2000-pound bombs were dropped on Pohakuloa (PTA) by B-2 bombers.

There has been no change in background levels in populated areas outside of PTA. 

5. Disclose all live-fire weapons and number of rounds fired at PTA, and other training there since DU has been confirmed at PTA on Aug. 20, 2007.

Army

6. Isn't it time we start operating on the precautionary principle. Stop all live-fire at PTA for the following reasons: 1. we have a reasonable suspicion of harm from the possible spread of DU particles; 2. there is uncertainty about the full extent and nature of the DU contamination at PTA; 3. we have a duty to take action to prevent harm to human health and the environment; 4 the cause and effect relationships are not fully known and established scientifically concerning DU.

There has been no radioactivity over normal background levels.

7. Is Army Regulation 700-48 being violated? AR 700-48 …2-4 Handling of RCE (radiologically contaminated equipment)…During peacetime or soon as operational risk permits, the Corps/JTF/Division Commander's RSP (Radiation Safety Officer) will identify, segregate, isolate, secure, and label all RCE. Procedures to minimize the spread of radioactivity will be implemented as soon as possible.

Army

8. Is there any use of DU (past, present, and/or planned) and/ or other activities such as Stryker training at Pohakuloa that could result in the spread of aerosolized DU, and/or DU compounds?

Army

9. Summarize the results of research -past, present and/or planned - on health risks from 1. live munitions exploding on top of DU left on the ground in Hawaii, during forty years of training; 2. vaporized and/or aerosolized DU; 3. DU nanotoxicity. Nanoparticles of a substance may have properties different from those of the original substance, such as becoming toxins or super-catalysts; 4. DU oxides which are insoluble and so are not excreted from the body.

Army

10. Describe past, present, and/or planned use of radioactive substances at PTA.

Army

11. Large areas of PTA and Makua are off-limits because of ICM )Improved Conventional Munitions) which are cluster bombs. Some type of cluster bombs such as ADAM (Area Denial Anti-personnel Mine) contain DU. Is there any use (past, present, and/or planned) at PTA and/or Makua of cluster bombs containing DU

Army

12. The Davy Crockett spotting rounds containing DU used at PTA was one of approximately 60 different nuclear weapons in the U.S. nuclear arsenal during the 1960s and 70s. Have other spotting rounds involving other weapon systems been used at PTA that contain DU? News reports (7/4/07 Big Is. Weekly, p.5) said 714 Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds were shipped to Hawaii. How many remain unaccounted for? Where else have DU Davy Crockett spotting rounds been shipped around the U.S. and outside of the U.S? Identify the sites and the numbers shipped.

Army

13. Will the military pay for 24 hour mass spectrometer independent testing for DU exposure for military and civilian personnel, and/or private contractors at PTA, Schofield, and civilians around such bases who believe they may have been exposed?

Army

14. Have tree bark, animal droppings, and vehicle air filters been tested for DU presence at PTA?

Not by State

15. Why did the Army deny the use of DU in Hawaii for years? Why did the Army fail to publicize the 2005 discovery of DU at Schofield until after citizen groups made the facts known?

Army

16. If State incursion on Federal property is illegal how is it the State is involved in ongoing DU testing?

The State was invited by the Army to participate in activities to obtain a human health risk assessment.  The State is not independently conducting DU testing on military property.

17. If the State, CDC, NRC and Army disagree on what should be told to the public, will one party be allowed to speak independently?

The State speaks independently.

Military Clean-Up NOT Build Up!

Contact: Malu `Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Ola`a (Kurtistown), Hawai`i 96760. Phone (808) 966-7622. Email ja@interpac.net <mailto:ja@interpac.net> http://www.malu-aina.org

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