Stuff I Wrote Elsewhere: Kirtland Fuel Spill Update

From this morning’s paper, an update on the Kirtland Air Force Base jet fuel spill (sub/ad req.):

State regulators on Friday denied the Air Force a requested 45-day extension on a deadline to turn in plans to deal with a jet fuel spill threatening Albuquerque groundwater.

“Urgent action needs to be taken to address this threat to Albuquerque’s drinking water supply,” James Bearzi of the New Mexico Environment Department wrote in response to the request Friday afternoon.

As a compromise “in the interest of comity,” Bearzi’s letter granted Kirtland Air Force Base an extra 15 days to turn in plans for the next steps in dealing with the problem.

But in granting the extra time, Environment Secretary Ron Curry complained about repeated Air Force delays.

“We feel that there’s been sufficient time for them to respond,” Curry said in a telephone interview Friday afternoon.

One Comment

  1. As far as the NMED is concerned, I know there is a lot of good people ther trying to do their job. But their hands are tied in many ways that regulations do. Regualtions allow certain amount of pollution. many regulations were rolled back allowing polluter’s free reign.

    In the light ofhte jet fuel spill: How do we know that they are doing their jobs overseeing construction of monitoring wells, to make sure that screens are properly installed? Where the spill is in relation to the wells so that the public can be assured.

    They also did nothing for a good 7-8 years. They were negilgent in demanding that Kirtland mitigate. There is no other way to see it. A fuel spill the size of the Exxon Valdez in our water table is criminal.

    Why is it the polluters in this state go unpunished?
    i.e. Take Richard Cook’s 139 (last I counted) environmental crimes. There are numerous other examples just survey environmental organization that are trying to keep the planet together.

    NMED needs to get the AG on them and charge Kirtland with the crimes and not let them off the hook or compromise Kirtland poisoned our water. period. What cost do we put on that which is precious?

    KAFB is not a good neighbor so stop showing them in that light. They poisoned our water for God’s Sake! We live is a semi-arrid desert where life is water.

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