NguDavid Swanson kunye noPat Elder, World Beyond War
Impembelelo yePentagon emlanjeni ehleli kwibhanki yayo ayipheleli nje ekuchaphazelekeni kobushushu behlabathi kunye nokunyuka kwamalwandle okuba negalelo ekusetyenzisweni kweoyile komkhosi wase-US. Umkhosi wase-US utyhefa ngokuthe ngqo uMlambo iPotomac ngeendlela ezininzi kunokuba nabani na anokucinga.
Masithathe uhambo ngenqanawa ezantsi iPotomac ukusuka kumthombo wayo kwiintaba zaseWest Virginia ukuya emlonyeni wayo eChesapeake Bay. Uhambo lokuhla kulo mgaqo wamanzi unamandla unika iinkcukacha zeendawo ezintandathu ze-EPA Superfund ezidalwe kukungakhathali kwePentagon yenkqubo ebuthathaka yendalo yomlambo wasePotomac.
Umkhosi wamanzi wase-US ILabhoratri ye-Allegany Ballistics e Rocket Centre, West Virginia, 130 miles emantla Washington, ngumthombo obalulekileyo wosulelo kuMlambo iPotomac. Ukulahlwa kwesinyithi esiqhumayo kunye nenkunkuma enyibilikayo kwisiza kungcolisa umhlaba namanzi aphantsi komhlaba ngeekhemikhali eziyingozi. Amanzi aphantsi komhlaba kunye nomhlaba ogudle umlambo azaliswe ziziqhushumbisi, ii-dioxins, iikhompawundi eziguquguqukayo zezinto eziphilayo, iiasidi, ilabhorethri kunye nenkunkuma yemizi-mveliso, udaka olungaphantsi olusuka ekufumaneni ukunyibilika, udaka lwentsimbi, iipeyinti, kunye neethinner. Esi siza sinendawo yokulahla inkunkuma yeberyllium. Indawo yokutshisa esebenzayo isasetyenziselwa ukulahla inkunkuma, ukufafaza uthuli lwekhemikhali phezu komlambo. Akulunganga.
Ukuhamba umlambo iikhilomitha ezingama-90 ukuya emazantsi kusifikisa Fort Detrick eFrederick, eMaryland, uMkhosi “umhlaba wokuvavanya” wenkqubo yesizwe yebhayoloji. I-anthrax, i-Phosgene, kunye ne-radioactive carbon, i-sulphur kunye ne-phosphorus zingcwatywe apha. Amanzi aphantsi komhlaba afakwe i-trichlorethylene ebulalayo, i-carcinogen yomntu, kunye ne-tetrachloroethene, ekurhaneleka ukuba ibangela amathumba kwizilwanyana zaselabhoratri. Umkhosi wavavanya iiarhente ezoyikekayo nezimanyumnyezi apha, njengeBacillus globigii, Serratia marcescens, kunye ne-Escherichia coli. Nangona i-DOD isithi iyekile ukuvavanywa kwezixhobo zebhayoloji ngeenjongo ezikhubekisayo ngo-1971, ibango lifana nokubekwa komkhosi kweenkqubo ezijulwayo “zokuzikhusela” kufutshane nomda wotshaba.
I-Fort Detrick nayo inembali yokulahla amanqanaba aphezulu e-phosphorus kwi-drain system yayo ekugqibeleni ihlambele kuMlambo osezantsi we-Monocacy, i-tributary ye-Potomac. Ngapha koko, iSebe lezeNdalo laseMaryland licaphule uMkhosi ngokugqitha kumanqanaba avumelekileyo emvume. I-phosphorus eninzi emanzini ibangela ukuba i-algae ikhule ngokukhawuleza kunokuba i-ecosystem ye-Potomac inokusingatha. Iyabulala. Umkhosi ngumngcolisi ohamba phambili womlambo wasePotomac.
Iikhilomitha nje ezingama-40 ezantsi komlambo ukusuka eFort Detrick kukho iWashington Spring Valley Indawo yokuhlala kunye nekhampasi yeYunivesithi yaseMelika. Le ndawo yayisetyenziswa nguMkhosi ngexesha leMfazwe Yehlabathi I ukuvavanya iLewisite, igesi ebulalayo eyenziwe ngearsenic. Amajoni abophelela izilwanyana ezibondeni aza abeka iibhombu zemichiza ukuze abone ukuba ezo zilwanyana zife ngokukhawuleza kangakanani na. Lo mmandla wawugutyungelwe kakhulu ziiarhente zebhayoloji ezibulalayo kwaye amajoni angcwaba imfumba eseleyo yeembumbulu emva kovavanyo. I-Perchlorate kunye ne-Arsenic zikhona kumanzi aphantsi komhlaba namhlanje. Imingxuma enetyhefu yemichiza engcwatyiweyo iye yangcolisa amanzi aphantsi komhlaba kufutshane neDalecarlia Reservoir, kufuphi nePotomac.
Iimayile ezintlanu ukuya emazantsi, i Washington Navy Yard ibekwe kuMlambo i-Anacostia, kufutshane nokudibana kwayo nePotomac. Yenye yezona ndawo zingcolisekileyo zezindlu ezithengiswayo kweli lizwe. I-Navy Yard yayiyisiseko sangaphambili sokwenza iinkanunu, amaqokobhe kunye nokudubula. Umhlaba osecaleni komlambo ungcoliswe yi-tetrachloride, i-cyanide, i-perchlorethylene, i-carbon tetrachloride, i-dichloroethene, i-vinyl chloride, i-load, kunye nesinyithi esinzima, i-acids, izicoci, i-caustics, i-iridite kunye ne-alkaline, i-lead, i-chromium, i-cadmium, i-antimony, i-polychlorinated PCBs) kunye needioxins.
Ngaselunxwemeni lwaseMaryland, iikhilomitha ezingama-20 ukusuka kwiNavy Yard, siza kwi Iziko leMfazwe yaseIndiya eyiNtloko yaseLwandle eCharles County, kunye nembali yayo ye-100 yeminyaka yokulahla kunye nokutshisa iimveliso zenkunkuma enobungozi. Isiza sihlala silahla inkunkuma yemizi-mveliso kwiinkqubo zeseptic, imisele evulekileyo kunye nemijelo ehambisa amanzi amdaka etyhutyha ngokuthe ngqo kwimithombo yamanzi ejikelezileyo ethi ikhuphele kwiPotomac. Amanzi angaphezulu kwindawo angcoliseke ngamanqanaba aphezulu emekyuri.
Iisampulu zamanzi aphantsi komhlaba eziqokelelwe kwiNtloko yaseIndiya ziqulathe iperchlorate kugxininiso oluphakathi kwe-1,600 kunye ne-436,000 ug/L. Ukubeka ezi datha kumxholo, iSebe laseMaryland lezeNdalo laseka inqanaba lengcebiso yamanzi okusela ye-1 ug/L. I-Perchlorate idibaniswe nefuthe layo elibi kwi-thyroid gland.
Ekugqibeleni, sifika Iziko leMfazwe yoMda waManzi-eDahlgren, ibekwe enye i-20 yeekhilomitha kumzantsi weNtloko yaseNdiya, ecaleni koMlambo wasePotomac e-King George County, eVirginia. Ukulahlwa ngokungakhathali kweekhemikhali kungcolisa umhlaba, amanzi aphantsi komhlaba, kunye nentlenga. Ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje, uDahlgren uvula inkunkuma eyingozi, efefa umgubo wetyhefu phezu kwePotomac, iNeck yaseMantla yaseVirginia, kunye neSouthern Maryland. A isifundo yezinye iindlela zokunyanga inkunkuma eDahlgren idwelisa iindleko ezinkulu zokutsha okuvulekileyo njenge “$0.” Ngokutsho kwe-EPA, “amagosa eDOD akanayo nayiphi na inkuthazo yokunyanzela utshintsho kwindlela ayenze ngayo iminyaka engama-70. Ukutshisa okuvulekileyo kunye nokuqhunyiswa yeyona nto inexabiso eliphantsi kubo. "
E-Dahlgren, i-mercury elahliweyo ixutywe nentlenga e-Gambo Creek, ethi ithululele ngqo kwi-Potomac. Ukungcwatywa kwezixhobo ezingcoliswe zisinyithi ezinzima kunye neepolyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) zityhefe umhlaba ecaleni kwePotomac enamandla. I-PCBs, i-Trichloroethane, kunye nezitshabalalisi ezahlukeneyo zixutywa kunye nosulelo lwelothe ukusuka kuluhlu lokudubula kunye nokungcwatywa kweuranium ephelelweyo esetyenziselwa ukwenza uhlobo lwesixhobo senyukliya esaziwa ngokuba yibunker buster.
Ngo-1608 uJohn Smith waba ngowokuqala waseYurophu ukuhlola amanzi ePotomac ukusuka eChesapeake Bay ukuya eWashington. Echaza umlambo kunye neChesapeake, uSmith wabhala, “Izulu noMhlaba azizange zivumelane bhetele ukuyila indawo yokuhlala umntu.” Isathandeka, kodwa kwiminyaka engama-400 kamva, amanzi nomhlaba utyhefwe. Iindawo ze-EPA Superfund ezichazwe ngasentla ziza kufumana ngokukhawuleza ingqwalasela encinci kunokuba zifanele ngenxa yokuba isicwangciso sebhajethi sikaMongameli uTrump sika-2018 sibiza ukusika inkqubo yokucoca i-Superfund malunga nekota.
I-EPA ichonge ezi tyhefu kumanzi omlambo wePotomac, zonke ziziphumo zemisebenzi yomkhosi: iAcetone, iAlkaline, iArsenic, iAnthrax, iAntimony, iBacillus Globigii, iBeryllium, iBis (2-ethylhexyl) iPhthalate, iCadmium, iCarbon. ITetrachloride, Chromium, Cyanide, Cyclonite, Depleted Uranium, Dichlorethylene, Dichloromethane, Dinitrotoluene, Dioxins, Escherichia Coli, Iridite, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Nitroglycerin, Perchlorate, Perchlorethylene, Phorousphedrosgenesis,PCChlorozan Hs ) , Ikhabhoni yeRadioactive, isulfure yeRadioactive, Serratia Marcescens, Tetrachloride, Tetrachloroethane, Tetrachlorethylene, Toluene, Trans-Dichlorethylene, Trichloroethene, Trichlororethylene, Trinitrobenzene, Trinitrotoluene, Vinyl Chloride, Xlene, kunye neZinc.
I-Potomac ikude kuneyodwa. Amashumi amathandathu anesithoba ekhulwini e-US Superfund iindawo zeentlekele zokusingqongileyo zisisiphumo samalungiselelo emfazwe.
Amalungiselelo emfazwe axabisa ngaphezulu kwamaxesha e-10 imali eyenziwa ziimfazwe zokwenyani, kwaye abangela ubuncinci amaxesha ali-10 okufa. Amalungiselelo emfazwe yomkhosi wase-US aqhelekileyo abangela ukufa ngokuphambukisa izixhobo kwiimfuno zabantu kwaye ngokuthe ngqo ngokutshabalalisa okukhulu kwendalo okusasazeka kwihlabathi liphela kubandakanya ne-United States, kwaye kubandakanya nePotomac.
Oko kubizwa ngokuba kungenelelo lwamazwe angaphandle kwiimfazwe zamakhaya kwihlabathi liphela, ngokutsho ngokubanzi izifundo, Amaxesha angama-100 angakumbi—kungekhona apho kukho ukubandezeleka, kungekhona apho kukho inkohlakalo, kungekhona apho kukho isisongelo kwihlabathi, kodwa apho ilizwe elisemfazweni linobuncwane obuninzi beoli okanye umngeneleli unemfuno ephezulu yeoli.
Umkhosi wase-US ngowona mthengi uphezulu wepetroleum ngeenxa zonke, utshisa ngaphezulu kwayo kunamazwe amaninzi, kwaye utshisa uninzi lwayo kumalungiselelo esiqhelo eemfazwe ezininzi. Kukho iinqwelomoya zomkhosi ezinokubangela umonakalo omkhulu nge-jet fuel kwimizuzu eyi-10 kunokuba unokwenza ngepetroli eqhuba imoto yakho unyaka.
Zonke ezo zibalo ziyayishiya intshabalalo yokusingqongileyo eyenziwa ngabenzi bezixhobo zabucala kunye nezixhobo zabo. I-US yeyona nto iphambili ekuthumeleni izixhobo zemfazwe kwihlabathi liphela.
Zonke ezo zibalo zikwashiya umonakalo omkhulu nazo zonke iinkcukacha zokubandezeleka komntu. Umkhosi wase-US utshisa inkunkuma enetyhefu kwindawo evulekileyo, kufutshane nemikhosi yawo kwiindawo ezinjenge-Iraq, kufutshane nemizi yabantu abahlala kumazwe ahlaseleyo, kwaye ngaphakathi e-United States kwiindawo ezininzi - zihlala zihlwempuzekile kwaye zimbalwa - iindawo ezifana Colfax, eLouisiana, naseDahlgren kwiPotomac.
Uninzi lomonakalo ngokusisiseko usisigxina, njengetyhefu yeuranium ephelelweyo, esetyenziswa kwiindawo ezinjengeSyria neIraq. Kodwa oku kuyinyaniso kwiindawo ezijikeleze i-United States ngokunjalo. Kufuphi neSt. Louis, eMissouri, indawo engaphantsi komhlaba umlilo isondela ngakumbi kwimfumba engaphantsi komhlaba yenkunkuma eqhumayo.
Kwaye ke kukho uMlambo wasePotomac. Iqukuqela emazantsi phakathi kweLincoln kunye neJefferson Memorials eWashington, DC ngasempuma, kunye neArlington, eVirginia, ngasentshona, apho iPentagon Lagoon izisa amanzi kwikomkhulu lemfazwe yehlabathi.
Ayisiyiyo kuphela indlu yemfazwe eyenza ukuba ihlale kufutshane namanzi anyukayo-enyuka kuqala naphambili ngenxa yeziphumo zokwenza imfazwe, kodwa loo manzi athile-amanzi ePotomac kunye neChesapeake Bay apho aqukuqela khona, kunye namaza apho. phakamisa kwaye wehlise amanzi ePentagon Lagoon yonke imihla - angcoliswe kakhulu ngamalungiselelo emfazwe.
Yiyo loo nto sicwangcisa kwaye sikumema ukuba ujoyine i-kayactivist i flotilla ukuya kwiPentagon nge-16 kaSeptemba. Kufuneka sizise imfuno ye-Oli ye-No More for Wars emnyango womtshabalalisi wethu okhokelayo wendalo esingqongileyo.
