Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger & Jennifer Mayerle / WCCO-TV – 2017-05-11 01:19:21
The True Cost of Burning Military Munitions
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger
(April 10, 2017) — Toxic pollutants are released when munitions are open burned, open detonated or incinerated. These toxic emissions endanger public health by contaminating air, groundwater and soils near open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) operations.
Military personnel are often the most exposed to these toxic pollutants, along with nearby communities. Across the country, hundreds of communities and thousands of military personnel have felt the adverse effects of these toxic pollutants.
Below is a Petition to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt
EPA: End Open Air Burning of Waste Munitions
In communities across America, open burning and detonation of hazardous waste explosives results in the uncontrolled release of toxic heavy metals, energetic compounds, perchlorate, nitrogen oxides, dioxins and other carcinogens to the environment, placing the health of our soldiers, workers and neighbors at risk.
It is time to recognize that the exclusion adopted by the EPA in 1980 for the open burning and detonation of waste explosives is no longer relevant.
Over the past 15 years, the Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board has certified a number of technologies as safe for the destruction of hazardous wastes, which are explosive. These technologies are now in use by the Department of Defense and the private sector for the treatment of explosive hazardous waste.
ACTION: Click here to Sign Note: It’s very important that you add a brief personal comment at the end of the petition! The EPA typically gives much greater weight to a petition with a personal note. Then complete the form to the right and click ‘Submit’.
Minn. Mom’s Death May Be Tied To Iraq Burn Pits
Jennifer Mayerle / CBS Minnesota (WCCO)
MINNEAPOLIS (March 1, 2017) — — Amie Muller lived a courageous life full of service and sacrifice. The 36-year-old married mother of three died Feb. 18 after bravely battling pancreatic cancer.
“Jace keeps saying to me every night, ‘I wish we could have a second chance to save Mommy.’ And, you know, wants to fly to heaven in his Batman cape and bring her back,” said Brian Muller, Amie’s husband.
Brian calls Amie an incredibly loving mother. Her children — Caidyn, Jace and EmmyLu — were her world. Her gifts extended well beyond her family. She was someone who could make everyone feel important, and so many called her their best friend. “She always, no matter what, made people feel like they were the only person in the room,” Brian said.
She did that while serving our country, originally with the Air Force and then with the Air National Guard.
“When you think about people that serve our country, you think about somebody that believes in America and believes in fighting for our freedom, and she was one of those people,” Brian said.
During her 18 years in the military, Amie was a military photojournalist, often documenting the funerals of fallen soldiers. She spearheaded a program to create videos and pictures for families who lost a loved one. And she designed the Gold Star memorial license plate to commemorate Minnesota’s fallen heroes.
“When you have a servant’s heart, you have a servant’s heart,” Brian said. “She just always wanted to do something more.”
Doctors diagnosed Amie with stage-three pancreatic cancer last April. She approached treatment like everything else in her life: with bravery and courage.
“We did the best we could. We fought with one of the most aggressive chemo regiments you can have,” Brian said.
In February, the time doctors believed she had left went from months, to weeks, to mere days. “We just weren’t ready. We weren’t ready. We were going to make videos for the kids, but she kept fighting,” Brian said.
The Mullers believe Amie’s diagnosis is linked to her time in the Air National Guard. She did two tours in Iraq, in 2005 and 2007. And during that time she was exposed to toxic burn pits — where it’s documented that chemicals, paint, aluminum cans, munitions, petroleum, among other things, were constantly burned.
“Environmental, that’s the biggest cause of cancer, so there’s no question that a 36 year old with pancreatic cancer, with no history of pancreatic cancer in her family, that had to be related,” Brian said.
During her journey, Amie had the strength to stand up for veterans who were also exposed. She worried the answers will come too late for many.
“My dedication to her is to honor that and to keep that story alive and make sure that veterans get taken care of,” Brian said. His dedication to her will also be to see through what Amie wanted in life for their kids.
“They don’t completely understand that we’re never going to see her again, but I just tell them that Mommy will always be with them, always be in their hearts,” Brian said.
The average patient diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is twice Amie’s age.
There is now a national registry for veterans to document their exposures and concerns. More than 100,000 veterans have signed up. So far, the US Department of Veterans Affairs said there is no evidence of long-term health problems from exposure to burn pits.
Last month, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced a bill to better understand the possible health effects. Brian has started the Amie Muller Foundation in her honor to raise money for veterans affected by pancreatic cancer.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
