The Navy’s on Top of El Toro Cleanup
“Orange County’s ‘Great Park’ Comes With a Great Price Tag” (July 29) cites critics who inaccurately characterize the Navy’s cleanup efforts at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. It suggests that cleanup costs will adversely affect purchasers of the property. Both are incorrect.
The Department of the Navy’s record of cleanup at this site and others stands as testimony to the effectiveness of its environmental remediation program. The Navy cleans up the bases it returns to the public to standards set for it by the federal government and the applicable state government. Federal law not only requires that we complete all cleanup before the sales are complete, but it also requires that we indemnify the new owners if we find contamination later on that is attributable to our operations.
We remain fully committed to funding the cleanup of El Toro, which is actively ongoing at several sites on the base, and standing by our commitments in the future.
H.T. Johnson
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
(Installations and Environment)
Washington
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