The latest skirmish around the ongoing theme that "the ocean is not a dump" has environmental groups suing the US Environmental Protection Agency to do its job, and clean up the US Navy's method of sinking retired ships. According to an article in The Maritime Executive, it's about time.
The Navy uses the ships as target practice. The adolescent in me loves a good explosion for sure, and maybe the ships even help create artificial reefs that attract fish, but the downside of pollution and message are more important.
The lawsuit claims that EPA must initiate rules to regulate the marine disposal of PCBs during ship sinking exercises to protect human health and the environment against an unreasonable risk of injury.
“EPA is legally required to keep dangerous chemicals like PCBs out of our oceans,” said Amanda Goodin, an attorney with Earthjustice representing Basel Action Network and Sierra Club. “It’s time for EPA to make the Navy clean up its act.“
Very simply: The ocean is not a dump. Thanks to several groups for carrying that message to the EPA.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment