EPA Demands Air Force Base Address "Deficiencies" in Open Burning
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(Pacific Daily News) Andersen Air Force Base must address deficiencies in its permit application to continue open burning and detonations of hazardous materials near Tarague Beach, according to a letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The revised application must include measures to prevent contamination of the ocean, aquifer, and atmosphere, and a closure plan for the burn and detonation ranges. Both U.S. EPA and Guam EPA have criticized the base’s current groundwater monitoring as inadequate. Local opposition has grown, with environmental activists pushing for alternatives to open detonations.
The controversy has sparked legislative action and a federal lawsuit seeking to halt range activity. Despite military claims that open detonation is the only safe disposal method for unexploded World War II munitions, activists and legal advocates argue for safer alternatives. Andersen’s response to the EPA’s demands is pending, with the base required to submit a revised permit by September 20.
