Wildlife imperiled by missile defense BY Daniel Verton 03/07/2000 The Pentagon admitted this week that its plan to build a National Missile Defense system capable of shooting incoming missiles out of the sky may disrupt some fisheries, feeding grounds for wild animals and other portions of the nations ecosystem.

A draft version of an environmental impact statement was released Monday by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. It concludes that the construction of additional information technology infrastructure for an NMD system could result in short- and long-term disruptions to the ecosystems surrounding the proposed construction sites.

The Clinton administration will decide in June whether to deploy an NMD system.

Facilities are planned in Alaska and North Dakota to house ground-based interceptors (GBI), battle management command and control systems, In-Flight Interceptor Communications Data Terminals and radar terminals for tracking incoming missiles.

The plan also calls for new fiber-optic cable lines to be buried amid wetlands and wildlife feeding areas as well as beneath the ocean floor.

Although the Pentagon study concluded that the disruptions to surrounding ecosystems will be minimal, there are risks.

According to the study, burying fiber-optic cables "too close to rookeries or feeding grounds could force sea lions to move away, lowering their potential for success." Likewise, "wetlands could potentially be affected by the project through filling, draining, trenching and other general construction activities," the study states.

The areas in question provide nesting for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds.

The study also warned against the excessive digging of trenches that could cause damage to wildlife spawning habitats, erosion, alteration of natural waterways and water quality deterioration.

National Missile Defense command and control systems and GBI locations: Clear Air Station, AlaskaFort Greely, AlaskaYukon Training Area, AlaskaGrand Forks, N.D.Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, N.D

http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2000/0306/web-2nmd-03-07-00.asp

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), March 09, 2000