Thursday, November 02, 2006

 

 

Anti-terror training in the Great Lakes Suspended

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its anti-terror training drills in the Great Lakes, due to the Canadian government's concern about possible lead poisoning of water and safety hazards for boats.

On October 16, 2006, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said the government is concerned about lead poisoning, and notes that the use of lead shot and sinkers in fishing gear is already banned in Canada. And Toronto Mayor David Miller warns that the activities restrict shipping and recreation and change the peaceful border between Canada and the U.S.

HazMat Management magazine recently wrote about the machine-gun practice on the Great Lakes. The approved drills have been taking place in U.S. waters and are designed to prepare officers to repel terrorists who could theoretically try to enter the U.S. illegally from Canada by boat.

The U.S. began staging the drills earlier in the year, according to reports from The Globe and Mail, but they were kept off the radar until the Coast Guard created 34 permanent live-fire training zones. Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson, says the drills and the training zones are precautionary measures, with 24 drills performed so far this year.

Safety measures have include warnings broadcast on marine band radio several hours ahead of any drills, and another boat patrols around the training area to watch out for vessels that could wander into the area. However, critics say there is still a risk because many small pleasure boats don't have marine radios, or don't use them on a constant basis.

The environmental impact of approximately 72,000 rounds of ammunition and lead bullets deposited into the lakes has rattled environmentalists, pleasure boaters and politicians from shoreline towns and cities. Lead contamination has been linked to childhood brain-development and behavioral issues.

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