|
US Worries about Impacts of USMC Airport on Okinawa
Japan's proposal to build a pile-supported runway at the agreed relocation site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa has been criticized by the United States as a terrorism risk that offers no environmental tradeoffs, sources close to bilateral relations said.According to the sources, the U.S. side told Japan through unofficial contacts that a pile-supported runway would have as much negative environmental impact on the ocean as the 2006 reclamation plan because it would prevent sunlight from reaching the seabed and result in the destruction of seaweed beds. The U.S. also told Tokyo that the impact of creating 140 hectares of dark sea surface under the runway is difficult to predict, the sources said. Global warming would have to be one impact. Washington argues that the construction method, called a quick installation platform, could cause as much damage at Camp Schwab off Nago as filling in the shallows in the area, dismissing Tokyo's hopes of minimizing the environmental impact of the original Futenma plan signed in 2006, the sources said. As for terrorism, the U.S. has already said it is reluctant to endorse the plan because terrorist attacks could be launched from beneath the runway. Nah! They couldn't see anything. The candles don't work. Posted by: Bobby 2010-05-14 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=296777 |