Navy diverting funds to Naples health study

[unhappycamper]

Navy diverting funds to Naples health study
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, September 17, 2008

NAPLES, Italy — The U.S. Navy is diverting money from some "high-priority" force protection projects to help come up with $30 million needed to study the impact of living in Naples on the health of U.S. sailors and their families, according to an internal planning document.

Navy Region Europe officials have identified $7.5 million from those projects and others to help pay for the ongoing assessment of air, soil and water quality, stemming from concerns over the decadeslong trash crisis and other issues in Naples.

Region officials said shifting the funds would not place personnel at risk, but did not explain why funding for the long-term health assessment would be more important than, for example, $1.5 million slated for projects "combating terrorism" at two Navy bases in Europe.

A project at the Navy base in Rota, Spain, would secure "an exposed gas pipeline which is above ground and vulnerable to sabotage," according to a three-page planning document discussing the effects of diverting funds to pay for the health assessment.

"FAILURE TO FUND this year may put our projects at risk for new HN (host nation) approval next year and leaves that base, particularly one that is being considered for AFRICOM HQ location, vulnerable to penetration and sabotage," reads the document on Rota force protection projects.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57454