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Indybay Feature

Kona Coast has Highest Cancer Rates in Hawai’i!

by Lindafaye Kroll RN BSN
Residents are alarmed by high cancer rates on the Kona Coast of Hawai’i. One resident Shannon Rudolph lives downwind from the U.S. Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area, which is just over the hill. In August 2007 military officials confirms Ms. Rudolph’s worse fears, PTA IS CONTAMINATED WITH DEPLETED URANIUM…
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Please help us Protect Hawai’i. Pass this information forward.

U.S. Army DEIS comment deadline is Oct. 30, 2007. Send comments to PublicComments [at] aec.apgea.army.mil and cc a copy to tenfingers10toes [at] protecthawaii.ws

No Stryker Brigade build-up in Hawai’i. Clean-up all live-fire artillery ranges.

(The following is Ms. Rudolph’s public comments to the U.S. Army’s DEIS reprinted with permission and submitted by Lindafaye Kroll RN BSN)

“Living downwind from Pohakuloa Training Area have my community and myself very worried about airborne depleted uranium being stirred up by Strykers, other vehicles, and training activities on our mountain.

As you know, Army testing is going on now, to find out the extent of this deadly contamination here and at Schofield Barracks.

I am very angry that the Army repeatedly lied to state officials and the people of Hawaii, telling us they never used depleted uranium here. Once residents were able to obtain radiation monitors and began recording unusually high "spikes" the Army knew they wouldn't be able to keep this deadly contamination a secret from the public any longer.

I was present at Pohakuloa when residents had radiation monitors turned on; counts per minute remained at or below normal background levels for an hour and a half... until a big gust of wind came up off of the training range. I witnessed the large amount of dust blow over the monitors which made them zoom up to 75cpm, well above background levels. I was very alarmed for all of the 300 people present that day and continue to be.

Because of previous false testimony by the Army, Hawaii residents are fearful they are not getting the full story on depleted uranium contamination of our land and that the Army has gone into damage control mode. I am very worried for troops, workers on the new highway, state park workers, and others who frequent this contaminated area and for those living downwind.

According to Hawaii Public Health cancer maps, the entire Kona Coast, to Naalehu, has the highest cancer rate in the state. We have no polluting industry here that would account for this. Kona Hospital nurses say there has been an alarming increase in cancers, thyroid problems, and diabetes downwind of Pohakuloa; residents are angry and afraid.

Local hunters have reported finding most sheep and goats with tumors that have never been seen before, also a large amount of intact, dead birds near the perimeters of Pohakuloa. The Honolulu Advertiser reports an epidemic of sick, feral cats with leukemia and auto immune system diseases on the west side of our mountain, close to the training range. All are markers for radiation poisoning.

The sane and prudent thing to do is for the Army to be absolutely straight with the public and cease ALL activity at any Hawaiian training range contaminated with depleted uranium, and this should apply to any U.S. training range, anywhere.

The Army should start following Army regulations regarding clean up and medical care of the people harmed, here and abroad. (AR 700-48) Some scientists say there is no way to clean up depleted uranium so I don't know what you intend to do about that; hopefully you don't ignore it and just hope it will just go away.

In 2005, the Army reported 828 contaminated sites in Hawaii; adding the 46 new DU sites brings the "reported" total to 874. This total is two years behind and does not include contamination from the Navy.

The military is the number one polluter in our state. Hawaii residents are outraged that you treat our land and residents so thoughtlessly. If you were a guest in my home I would have to have you removed, made to pay for the damage you have done, and not be invited again.

It greatly saddens me to know that the very people we pay to protect us have become our greatest nightmare. Shut down all contaminated training ranges now; do your duty to protect the land and people you have harmed, and clean up this toxic mess you have made.

This mode of "business as usual" for our military must end; it is not sustainable for the people or the planet and you have to live here, too. Please do your job and save us all; be a hero, clean up your act.

Please help us protect Hawai’i by writing to the U.S. Army before October 30, 2007 (at the email address sited in the title) No Stryker Brigade in Hawai’i!”

Shannon Rudolph
Hawai’i Island Resident

READ WHY the Stryker Brigade must not stay in Hawaii!

Ten Reasons to Oppose the Stryker Brigade in Hawaii
http://www.dmzhawaii.org/stop_stryker_hawaii.pdf

Army Regulation AR 700-48 "Management of Equipment Contaminated With Depleted Uranium or Radioactive Commodities," Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., September 2002, Section 2-4 of United States Army Regulation 700-48 dated Sept. 16, 2002, specifies these requirements.
http://www.traprockpeace.org/du_pam_700-48.pdf

Hawaiian Islands Are Radioactive
http://www.indymedia.org/en/2007/10/893755.shtml

Depleted Uranium Contamination By Strykers In Hawaii
http://www.indymedia.org/it/2007/09/893176.shtml

Death By Breath
http://www.indymedia.org/en/2007/10/893823.shtml

Hawaiian Islands Contaminated With Ballistic Uranium
http://www.rense.com/general78/hawa.htm

No Peace in Paradise by Kyle Kajihiro
http://www.haleakalatimes.com/news/story2527.aspx

Army’s Environmental Impact Statement for the Stryker Brigade Invasion of Hawaii:
http://www.sbct-seis.org/

Go to Demilitarize Hawaii
http://dmzhawaii.org

Go to Protect Hawaii website:
http://www.protecthawaii.ws/


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