Noteboom The Law Firm

Subcommittee to Examine Federal Report on Lejeune’s Water

September 17, 2010 - In 1997 an Atlanta-based federal scientific agency issued a report detailing all the possible health effects of people being exposed to contaminated water on Camp Lejeune, N.C. Their final conclusion: adults were not likely to develop cancer because of the water.

However, the report never took into consideration benzene, a strong poison. Benzene is one element of fuel and a known cause of cancer. For whatever reason, the scientists overlooked the information on benzene despite being warned they were overlooking the information. To further question the validity of the results, the scientists had reviewed a document specifically mentioning the benzene problem.

Cut to modern day. The original report has since been withdrawn and now millions and millions of tax dollars are being used to research the true effects of the contamination. Congressional investigations are being launched into why the report was issued the way it was, and Marines and their families want to know how much of their various cancers and illnesses are because of the Camp Lejeune contamination.   

There isn't much doubt as to the existence of benzene in Camp Lejeune's drinking water and in very high levels. The Oversight Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee will look into why benzene was ignored in the original report and evaluation, who knew it wasn't being included in the report, and when they knew the benzene was being ignored.

The numbers are staggering. Up to 1,000,000 people could have been exposed to the contaminated water. Almost 160,000 people have registered to get information about the contamination, suspecting a connection with their illnesses.

The Janey Ensminger Act has already been introduced making a presumption between exposure to the water and illnesses linked to TCE, PCE, and benzene.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has linked the illnesses in some cases, and will likely to continue on a case-by-case basis.

The original 1997 report was so flawed it borders on negligence. Hopefully the investigation will generate the information they need to right this wrong and get people the help they need.