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:: Monday, October 20, 2003 ::

Bush Backs Down on Plan to Ship Toxic Ships Overseas; Administration Will Study Threats Posed by Ships and Reconsider Plan In April - U.S. Newswire
The Bush administration has agreed to halt the export of old toxin-laden Navy ships to England for disposal until it assesses the environmental risks involved. The Sierra Club and the Basel Action Network, represented by Earthustice attorney Martin Wagner, had sued to stop the ships from sailing, but a judge allowed the first four-the Caloosahatchee, Canisteo, Compass Island, and Canopus-to be towed out of the James River in mid-October. The remaining nine vessels will stay where they are at least until April 2004, when the environmental analysis will be completed. The plaintiffs argued that the export plan violates the Toxic Substances Control Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, that the facility in England is not equipped to handle such contaminated ships, and that there are ship-breaking facilities in the US that are equipped to do the job. The ships together contain more than 350 tons of PCBs, 620 tons of asbestos, and 470 tons of old fuel oil.

posted 6:48 PM :: reference link :: 0 comments ::

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