Serrano and NOAA Announce Clean-Up Projects for Vieques

Washington, DC, June 20, 2005—Today, Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY) announced a new series of programs, to be administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in cooperation with the Departments of Interior and Defense, to clean up and restore the Puerto Rican island of Vieques.  Despite being populated, the island had been a Navy bombing zone for nearly four decades, and it has still not been cleaned up.  Serrano had secured funding for NOAA in last year’s Appropriations Omnibus bill for Vieques’ clean-up.

“I’m so proud to be able to announce these important measures that we’re taking to finally get the ball rolling on cleaning up Vieques,” said Serrano.  “NOAA will be studying contamination, restoring coastal and marine habitats, studying underwater ordnance and debris, conducting education and outreach programs, and developing a GIS mapping project to assist with cleanup and restoration.  These projects represent a significant step forward in the effort to clean up Vieques.”

Announced NOAA Vieques cleanup and restoration activities are:

• Land and Fiddler Crab Sampling Study, to sample for the presence of contamination in land and fiddler crabs;

• Marine Habitat Assessment, Restoration, and Protection, to assist with the assessment, restoration, and protection of Vieques’ coastal and marine habitats;

• Underwater Survey, to demonstrate the effectiveness of sonar and video mosaic in identifying ordnance and debris in the waters around Vieques;

   

• Education and Outreach, to build upon the existing community education and outreach activities focused on the Vieques coastal and marine resources; and

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping Project, to assist in the cleanup and restoration, and provide an education tool for the Vieques community.

   

Congressman Serrano has been a tireless advocate for Vieques.  He played a key role in ending the bombings there (and was arrested outside the White House protesting the Navy’s continued use of the island) and is now a leader in the push for the island’s environmental restoration. 

A one-pager describing NOAA activities in Vieques is available here: http://www.house.gov/serrano/pdf/Vieques_for_Serrano_June_10_20051.pdf.  To view the Congressional Research Service’s report on environmental cleanup efforts in Culebra and Vieques requested by Congressman Serrano, please visit: http://www.house.gov/serrano/pdf/vieques-culebra.pdf