Gulf oil catastrophe critical

File: 011696_92_4_014.txt
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Total Pages: 18


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                                  WASHINGTON. DC 205 t 0-4202


                                   April 9, 1991




      The Honorable Richa=d B. Cheney
      Secretary of Defense
      The Pentagon
      Washingtofi, DC 20301

      Dear Mr. Secretary:
            X am concerned about the potential health risks faced by'the
      Araer.ican troops Rating the emissions of Kuwait's burning oil wells.
      Attached for your information is a letter I have sent to the Surgeon
      General of the A=y regarding this matter.
            I have reviewed the preliminary findings of the interaaenav
      Team's air quality survey.and noted that the delegation didiot find
      high levels of acute toxins. However, these results appear to be only
      the tentative conclusions. of a very limited stud , and the currentl
                                                       ay
      low levels of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide may be radically Y
      reversed with the change of seasons. Also., extremely high levels of
      particulates were found in the air, and I wonder if therz- is a
      detailed analysis of their composition underway. Meanwhilei, I
      continue to hear storiesof our troops suffering from severe
      respiratory disorders and coughing up black substances from their
      lungs.
            I know you share my concern for the health of AmericaIs men and
      women in uniform,, and I would like to learn exactly what steps the
      Department of Defense is taking to monitor the air quality in Kuwait
      and protect our troops from this potential threat. I look forward to
      hearing from you about this ur

                                  Sin




                                  Unit   States Senator.

      AG/bww

      enclosure






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                                                                               1 4
Box ID = BX000000
Unit = CONST ENG LABS  
Parent Organization = ;CORPS OF ENGS  
Folder Title = SMITH PAPERS POST GULF WAR RECOVERY                                                             
Subject = Gulf oil catastrophe critical
Document Number =         92
Image file name = 00000034.tif