Sixty five million dollars should be the benchmark figure for any settlement with the United States over the clean up of the former base-lands, according to Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons.

Dr. Gibbons was giving his reaction to Premier Jennifer Smith's announcement in the House on Friday that some progress has been made in negotiations over the former US base-lands.

On Friday, Ms Smith told the House that a December 11 Order in Council added Bermuda to the list of colonies covered by the UK Visiting Forces Act 1952 which sets down the law on how visiting foreign forces are to be handled in civil or criminal matters.

The move clears the way for terminating the United States' lease for the baselands and repealing the (Bermuda) United Bases Agreement Act 1952, and closes a legislative gap that would be created otherwise.

Ms Smith called it an "important first step". Dr. Gibbons agreed when contacted by The Royal Gazette for comment.

"The legislative formalities are important but the real question is what will be the final settlement," Dr. Gibbons said.

The UK Government took the lead in negotiating with the United States over cleaning up environmental damage at the former baselands, at Government's request shortly after the PLP's victory at the polls in 1998.

Dr. Gibbons said that the United States is probably more motivated to terminate the bases agreement now that the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) station is "for all intents and purposes" no longer operating on the Island.

The Americans left the bases an environmental disaster area when they pulled out in 1995.

Tons of soil are still contaminated with lead and other pollutants, Southampton's Bassett cave was used as a dumping ground for sewage and industrial waste and hundreds of gallons of jet fuel sit on top of the water table in the area.

And 70 percent of the buildings at the St. David's site contained dangerous asbestos.

Dr. Grant said that a 1997 study done for the former UBP Government by North Carolina consultants J.A. Jones Environmental Services Company estimated clean up costs at $65 million. "We were not looking for a cash settlement we would have been happy for them to do the work," said Dr. Grant. The figure included a $10 million charge to replace the ailing Longbird Bridge which even then was prone to malfunction.

Under the bases agreement the United States was responsible for maintaining the bridge.

Asked what arrangements will be in place to maintain the bridge after the US bases agreements are formally terminated, Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said that the topic will be part of the discussions between the UK and the United States governments.

He added that it would be more appropriate for the premier to give a more definitive response.

"I wouldn't want to even hazard a guess on what we would be inheriting once the talks come to an end," Mr. Scott said.

While Dr. Grant considers $65 million to be a "reasonable benchmark", the actual payoff could be much higher.

In the mid to late nineties, the Canadian Government negotiated a $100 million settlement from the United States in respect to bases in Newfoundland, under similar circumstances.