May 19, 2008
Fort Reno Update: Arsenic Levels May Be Safe
WTOP has the scoop on the latest from the Fort Reno Park arsenic saga. Officials have said that early testing from 13 soil samples at Fort Reno Park, Wilson High School and Alice Deal Middle School show a reading of 10 parts per million -- far below the up to 1,100 parts per million a U.S. Geological Survey finding that closed the park last week. Safe levels of arsenic are listed as 43 parts per million by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The USGS findings were based on satellite aerial imaging reports that indicate arsenic levels based on stress the poison places on grass. More results on soil testing are expected on Wednesday, and Mayor Adrian Fenty is waiting to comment on whether or when the park might reopen until then.
Organizers of the Fort Reno Summer Concert Series have put up an announcement on their web site saying that they are waiting to hear from officials before they determine what might happen to the concerts -- and that they still need your help fundraising:
The news hits just as we were beginning to ask for your help in raising the funds we need for this year's sound system and stage maintenance. We may be looking for a new home or maybe we won't need to - either way we still need your help.You can donate to Fort Reno via a PayPal link on their web site.We know we're asking you to donate for concerts that might not happen this year. Think of it as a donation for all the rock of years gone by. We stay dedicated to bringing the music to the people and you can be sure all donations will go to that cause - be it at Fort Reno, some new venue, or something wholly new.
Photo by Mr. T in DC
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Remember back in simpler, pre-"there are terrorists everywhere" times when arsenic-laced drinking water was on the front page of every newspaper. Don't tell anyone I told you, but I saw Dick Cheney setting up a sprinkler system in Fort Reno park after a rock show one night in 2002. When I asked, he said he was putting down some terrorist repellent, and so I left well enough alone. Looking back, maybe I should have asked him what that garlic odor was, but I didn't want to draw too much attention to his undisclosed location. Anyway, mystery solved as to how that silly satelite got so confused.
That's funny you joke about seeing Cheney at Ft. Reno... Allegedly there was a super-secret-squirrel Presidential Emergency Facility in one of the towers that was codenamed "cartwheel":
http://coldwar-c4i.net/PEF/index.html
It's been pretty well confirmed by a bunch of ex-spooks and telecom geeks region-wide, but who the hell knows. Sounds a LOT less pleasant than Mt Weather or The Greenbrier:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuity_of_Operations_Plan
May be safe?
so wait a minute, did the USGS determine arsenic level by looking at satellite imagery and deciding that the places where there was little grass were so because of arsenic?
could it have just been because the park service does a shitty job of keeping the grass alive?!? because if that turns out to be the case, i know a lot of remote sensing folks who are going to laugh their asses off...
This whole arsenic scare and the long delay between the USGC's noticing the images and notifying people has been one total FUBAR from start to finish.
This "scare" is the latest proof that we've become a nation of pussies... unless you were in the habit of sitting around during concerts eating handfuls of dirt, the arsenic in the soil was never going to pose a threat.