Sinking Feeling for PCD-laden Ships;
Judge Blocks U.S. Plan to Tow them to Britain for Dismantling
Part of the National Defense Reserve fleet is seen anchored near Newport News, Va. Thirteen ships in the fleet were to have been towed to England for dismantling, but a judge blocked nine
by MSNBC News Services
3 October 2003 (Washington) – Thirteen rusting ships carrying 100 tons of PCBs remained docked in Virginia on Friday, after a federal judge blocked the U.S. government from having them towed to England to be dismantled.
THE U.S. Maritime Administration has not done environmental studies as required by law, U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer said in her ruling.
The administration had planned to begin moving the first of 13 ships, which contain about 3,000 tons of fuel, 100 tons of PCBs and some asbestos, this week. PCBs are a class of toxic chemicals banned in 1979.
Collyer said that she would not stop the removal of four ships, which the Coast Guard has said are seaworthy and can be safely towed 4,500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Environmental studies should be done on the remaining nine, she said.
"Ghost fleet"
The ships are part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, anchored along the James River near Newport News, Va. Dubbed by some as the "Ghost Fleet," it contains about 100 large cargo and military-support ships, some of which could be called up and others that are set for dismantling.
Environmental groups sued after the Bush administration announced plans to transport 13 of the most fragile vessels to a shipyard in Teesside, England, off the North Sea.
The rusting ships have been languishing for years as U.S. authorities argued over how best to dispose of them.
Former President Bill Clinton outlawed the sale of obsolete vessels for scrap overseas in an attempt to shield workers in developing nations like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China who work in dangerous conditions.
The Bush administration sought and won an Environment Protection Agency waiver against the moratorium allowing the ships to be exported abroad for breaking.
Ok from Britain
Britain last week gave the green light to accepting the ships for dismantling.
Collyer said she will hear arguments later this month on whether the transportation violates federal law.
She praised the Maritime Administration for working with Congress to address problems with the James River fleet, but wrote in Thursday's order: "There is no statute to excuse (the Maritime Administration's) failure to conform fully to the nation's environmental laws while exporting the remaining ships."
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