HONOLULU, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. Army officials, scientists, and members of Congress Tuesday announced plans to meet on the effects of ammunition dumps in the Pacific Ocean.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported the Pentagon has spent $7 million in the last two years to analyze the effects on the environment of munitions dumping in Hawaii, and to determine ways to remove unexploded ammunition, most of which dates back to World War II. The study is pursuant to a congressional mandate for finding and analyzing the effect of the dumping.
Army's Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Tad Davis plans to participate in the meeting, which will include discussion of ocean monitoring and testing programs.
The newspaper reported the Army Corps of Engineers hopes to use robotic techniques to clear the reef and the ocean bottom of conventional munitions from the shallow waters off Waianae known as Ordnance Reef.
