Lejeune water study funding called criticalThe Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 15, 2009 15:29:11 EST
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The federal agency in charge of studying the effects of contaminated water on Marines and their families at Camp Lejeune, N.C., said critical gaps in funding still exist.
The Department of the Navy and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have been fighting for months over the funding of a mortality study at Camp Lejeune.
In a letter on Monday, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry argued that the study is “the most-time efficient” and valid method of determining the health effects.
The study will determine if there are higher mortality rates for active-duty Marines who served at the base during the years the water was contaminated.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry points out in its letter that it has the “responsibility to determine what public health studies and responses are warranted at Federal sites,” and that it is the Navy’s responsibility under the law to fund the studies.
Rest of article at:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_mc_lejeunewater_121509/