Back to Penobscot Bay Blog
Back to Seal Island Cleanup

AT ISSUE:

The old gunnery ranges are on and around Seal Island in outer Penobscot Bay off Matinicus Island, and Duck Island in the Maine part of the Isles of Shoals archipelago. 'On and around' extend well out into the sea around the islands. Most of the remaining Seal Island UXO, in fact, lies submerged around the island in Danger Area 334.10 on map at right. But the plan at present ignores all UXO below the tideline, despite clear regulatory authority to clean up submerged UXO. (Click map for aerial photo of Seal Island. Courtesy: Audubon)

The Army Corps New England's is apparently hampered by diversion of its munitions disposal equipment and personnel to Iraq and Afghanistan. If ACOE could find the money to hire private UXO contractors to do the underwater cleanup, it would. Money of course is where elected federal representatives come in. Concerned citizens need to press Snowe and Collins to order the Army Corps to hold a public meeting on the subject of underwater UXO. Public sentiment could prove enough to press the congressoinals to go find the $$$.

Unless citizens demand otherwise of their leaders, this underwater cache of unexploded bombs, shells and rockets will remain onsite on the seafloor, washing ashore from time to time, dragged up by trawlers, dispersing toxic munitions waste into Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine. regulations call for cleanups out to 120 foot depth; this plan may remove none below the low tide line!

=====================================================